Latest news with #FStudent
Hindustan Times
09-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Dangerous viral trend has students setting laptops on fire, prompting school evacuations
What began as another viral stunt on TikTok has quickly escalated into a national safety concern, with students across the US deliberately setting their laptops on fire as part of a reckless online trend. Dubbed the #ChromebookChallenge, the trend involves inserting conductive objects, such as paper clips, springs, pushpins, or even mechanical pencil lead, into the laptop's charging port. The result? Electrical short circuits that can spark smoke, flames, and school-wide chaos, reported the New York Post. Connecticut has emerged as a hotspot for these incidents, most notably at Newington High School, which had to be evacuated last week after a student's device started spewing smoke. 'The room at the time of the fire was filling with smoke,' Newington fire marshal DJ Zordon told NBC Connecticut. But the trend has spread far beyond the state's borders. Reports have surfaced in school districts across California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington, where officials are warning students and parents of the risks. 'It's more than just a trend,' Zordon said. 'It causes a lot of disruption. The school has to be evacuated, firefighters respond to the firehouse and subsequently to the scene, it takes resources from any other emergencies that might be happening at that time.' On TikTok, variations of the trend exist under names like #ChromebookDurabilityTest and #FStudent. The videos often show students laughing as they sabotage their laptops, waiting for smoke to rise while mocking schoolwork with captions like, 'anything but work.' Also read: Rare behind-the-scenes footage: Emotional moment Pope Leo XIV embraces cardinals after landmark election In Connecticut alone, schools in Southington, Cromwell, Derby, and Newington have all reported similar incidents. In neighbouring East Fishkill, New York, fire officials issued stern warnings after another case surfaced. TikTok has stated that it removed 99.7% of dangerous content proactively from October to December last year. Still, the speed at which this trend has spread has raised questions about the platform's ability to contain harmful challenges. Dangerous acts can be reported under TikTok's 'Dangerous activities and challenges' category, but many say enforcement lags behind viral growth. In the meantime, the consequences are adding up. Schools are facing expensive repairs and significant class disruptions, while local police departments, like in Providence, Rhode Island, are warning that students could face criminal charges for setting their devices alight. Students caught engaging in the trend may also be subject to school disciplinary actions. Also read: Chinese surgeon dismissed after wife exposes affairs with nurse and junior doctor As experts urge parents to discuss the serious risks with their children, educators are scrambling to stay ahead of a trend that's spreading faster than they can contain it.
New York Post
08-05-2025
- New York Post
Dangerous social media craze encourages kids to set their laptops on fire — causing chaos in schools
Forget harmless pranks — TikTok's latest trend has students setting their Chromebooks ablaze, sparking school evacuations and safety warnings across the country. Known as the #ChromebookChallenge, the dangerous stunt encourages kids to jam metal objects, like paper clips and pushpins, into the charging ports of their laptops, causing electrical short circuits that can ignite fires. Connecticut is ground zero for the reckless trend, with Newington High School evacuated last week after a student's laptop started spewing toxic smoke. Advertisement 6 Move over, harmless pranks — TikTok's latest craze has students turning their Chromebooks into fire hazards, triggering school evacuations and safety alerts nationwide. Henry – 'The room at the time of the fire was filling with smoke,' Newington fire marshal DJ Zordon said, as reported by NBC Connecticut. 'The batteries that are essentially catching on fire, once they burn, they're producing this toxic smoke.' Advertisement The unsettling phenomenon isn't just confined to the Nutmeg State. Schools across California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington have issued warnings about the trend, which sees students inserting mechanical pencil lead, aluminum foil, and other conductive items into Chromebook ports. 'It's more than just a trend,' Zordon continued. 6 Dubbed the #ChromebookChallenge, the reckless stunt dares kids to shove metal objects — like paper clips and pushpins — into their laptop charging ports, sparking dangerous short circuits. @sl1desh0wz2/TikTok Advertisement 'It causes a lot of disruption. The school has to be evacuated, firefighters respond to the firehouse and subsequently to the scene, it takes resources from any other emergencies that might be happening at that time.' On TikTok, the trend goes by other names like #ChromebookDurabilityTest and #FStudent, with some videos racking up thousands of views in mere hours. 6 Connecticut is the epicenter of the dangerous trend, with Newington High School evacuated last week after a student's laptop started belching toxic smoke. NBC Clips show kids cackling as they jam springs and pins into their laptops, waiting for smoke to billow out — all for a few moments of viral fame and comments like, 'anything but work,' mocking that they'd rather torch their Chromebooks than do schoolwork. Advertisement And the consequences are mounting, as NBC Connecticut noted. In Southington, Connecticut, students at Southington High School were evacuated on May 7 after another Chromebook fire, fire officials said. 6 Videos show kids laughing as they shove springs and pins into their laptops, waiting for smoke to pour out — all for a shot at viral fame and quips like, 'anything but work,' joking they'd rather torch their Chromebooks than hit the books. @Dangerous TikTok trend sees students set their laptops on fire/TikTok Similar incidents have been reported in Cromwell, Derby, and Newington, Connecticut, as well as East Fishkill, New York, prompting stern warnings from state fire officials. But the chaos isn't just about a few kids seeking attention. Videos of the trend have flooded TikTok's For You page, and school officials are struggling to keep up. 6 It's not just a handful of attention-seekers causing chaos — TikTok's For You page is flooded with videos of the trend, leaving school officials scrambling to keep up. NBC According to TikTok, 99.7% of dangerous content flagged from October to December last year was removed proactively, but the platform still faces criticism for how quickly such trends spread. Advertisement TikTok allows users to report dangerous content through its 'Dangerous activities and challenges' category, but that hasn't stopped the spread. And for school districts, the fallout is costly — from potential fines for damaged equipment to missed class time due to evacuations. 6 TikTok users can flag risky content under its 'Dangerous activities and challenges' category, but that hasn't slowed the spread. Meanwhile, schools are paying the price — from costly device repairs to lost class time during evacuations. @schoolshenanigans05/TikTok Advertisement For now, experts are urging parents to talk to their kids about the risks — and schools to enforce strict punishments for those caught participating. Police in Providence, Rhode Island, warned WJAR that students torching their Chromebooks for TikTok clout could be hit with school punishments — and maybe even criminal charges. But with the TikTok trend still spreading like wildfire, let's hope it's not too late to put this blaze out.
