Watertown CSD warns parents about Chromebook trend
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – Parents in the Watertown City School District are being made aware of a recent trend that has emerged on social media.
A ParentSquare message sent out to district parents on Friday alerted them of a 'TikTok trend that has been going around that students are unfortunately trying to duplicate.'
Students deliberately short-circuiting school laptops as part of social media trend
The videos show students how to short-circuit their laptop or puncture the lithium batteries on Google Chromebooks. According to the message, the videos show children intentionally inserting objects into the charging ports and data ports on the devices.
This is not only intentional damage to a district-owned device, but also incredibly dangerous as it can cause the laptops to catch on fire as well.
'This is in direct violation of the WCSD code of conduct as well as our acceptable use policy and can result in serious consequences including reimbursement of the device (up to $400),' the ParentSquare message goes on to say.
The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control also issued a warning to local fire service leaders and parents about a reported 'Chromebook Challenge.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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