May 11 2025 – As reported by Ars Technica on the 9th, schools across multiple regions in the United States have recently alerted parents about a concerning online trend called the “Chromebook Challenge” circulating on social media. This trend is luring students into intentionally damaging school-issued Chromebook laptops, leading to incidents where the devices emit smoke or even catch fire.
The trend has predominantly spread on TikTok, prompting school districts in states such as Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Washington to issue letters to parents, urging them to be vigilant about the associated risks.
According to the reports, the Chromebook Challenge involves students inserting foreign objects into the Chromebook’s ports to induce short circuits. The items used for this purpose are diverse, ranging from common stationery items like paper clips, aluminum foil from chewing gum wrappers, to thumbtacks.
This challenging behavior has posed significant challenges for schools, resulting in numerous laptop fire incidents, school evacuations, early dismissals, and even the activation of emergency response protocols.
School authorities have made it clear that acts of vandalism against school property will result in disciplinary actions, and in some states, legal consequences may also follow.
In response, TikTok has now banned searches for the term “Chromebook Challenge.” Users attempting to search for it will be greeted with a safety reminder that states:
“Your safety matters.
Some online challenges are dangerous, distressing, or entirely fabricated. Learn how to spot harmful challenges to safeguard your health and safety.”
The warning page also includes a link guiding users on how to identify and evaluate challenge content on the platform. TikTok has emphasized that similar challenges are not exclusive to their platform and are also circulating on other social media networks.
