TikTok Challenge Burns Schools in America… What’s the Story Behind the Exciting Chromebook Challenge?!

QMG VARIETYJuly 28, 2025

TikTok’s technological capabilities have made it a magnet for young people around the world. However, the unrestricted nature of the content broadcast on it has led to challenges that can be destructive, and sometimes fatal, causing significant loss of life and property. One glaring example is the “Chromebook Challenge.”

What is the “Chromebook Challenge”? This dangerous challenge encourages students to insert small objects, such as paper clips or pencil tips, into the USB ports of school-based Google Chromebooks. Participants often aim to create a small cloud of smoke or, worse, a spark, believing the act to be harmless..

The results of this challenge have been disastrous in several cases. In New Jersey, a high school student was arrested and charged with third-degree arson and criminal vandalism for participating in the challenge at school.

This incident demonstrates how serious the challenge can be, as it not only damages devices but can also lead to serious legal consequences.

As a result, schools across the United States rushed to warn students and parents of this dangerous and potentially unsafe challenge.

It is imperative that everyone, students and parents alike, understand the seriousness of these practices, which can cause serious damage to equipment and buildings and put students’ lives at risk.

It is important to understand how schools and TikTok itself are handling the repercussions of such challenges to stop their spread and protect the student community.

Chromebook Challenge: A Dangerous Prank Threatens Our Schools

A dangerous challenge known as the “Chromebook Challenge” has recently spread on TikTok. Students insert foreign objects, such as paper clips or pencil tips, into the USB ports of Google Chromebooks. Some students aim to create a spark or a small cloud of smoke, but the results are often disastrous

Watch the challenge:

How are schools handling this challenge?

Schools are taking this challenge seriously and are taking strict action against it:

Severe Warnings: School administrations issue stern warnings to students and parents about the seriousness of this challenge, outlining the potential consequences for students and school property.
Disciplinary and Legal Sanctions: Students participating in this challenge face severe disciplinary sanctions, which may include expulsion from school. In some cases, the consequences may even include criminal charges, such as arson or vandalism, as in the case of a New Jersey student who was charged with third-degree arson and criminal vandalism.
Raising Awareness: Schools seek to educate students that these “pranks” are not just innocent jokes, but rather acts of vandalism that damage school property and negatively impact the educational process.

Losses from the Challenge

Losses from the “Chromebook Challenge” are not trivial and include:

Severe physical damage: Chromebooks are permanently damaged, as motherboards and internal components can burn out, rendering them unusable.
Significant financial losses: These damages cost schools huge sums to replace or repair damaged devices, draining education budgets that could have been used for other, more important purposes. These funds ultimately come from taxpayers or budgets allocated to improving the quality of education.
Disruption of the Educational Process: When laptops break, students are deprived of essential learning tools, negatively impacting their academic progress.

How is TikTok addressing this challenge?

TikTok is under increasing pressure to address dangerous content broadcast on its platform. TikTok typically responds in several ways:

Removing Violating Content: When schools or users report videos promoting dangerous challenges like the Chromebook Challenge, TikTok removes the content for violating its Community Guidelines.
User Warnings: TikTok sometimes adds warnings or awareness messages to users who attempt to search for content related to these dangerous challenges.
Cooperating with Authorities: In cases involving legal violations, TikTok may cooperate with law enforcement to provide necessary information.

How dangerous is the Chromebook Challenge?

The Chromebook Challenge is extremely dangerous. Inserting metal objects, such as paper clips, into a laptop’s USB port can cause an electrical short. This electrical short generates intense heat, sparks, and smoke.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a paper clip acts as an unintended electrical conductor, leading to power outages and short circuits. This can lead to dangerous overheating. Because laptops contain lithium-ion batteries, this overheating can produce toxic gases, fires, or even explosions.

Even if you’re not immediately injured after inserting a foreign object into your Chromebook’s USB port, there’s an increased risk of future malfunctions. This malfunction can be as simple as a broken USB port, or it can develop into something more serious, such as the release of toxic gases, according to the NFPA warning.

Other TikTok Challenges That Caused Disasters

There are many other TikTok challenges that have caused serious risks, some of which have led to serious injuries and even deaths. Here are some notable examples:

The Blackout Challenge / Choking Game:

The Idea: This challenge involves holding your breath or suffocating until you pass out, with the goal of experiencing a brief euphoria after regaining consciousness.

The Risks: This challenge is extremely dangerous and has led to numerous deaths among children and teenagers due to a lack of oxygen to the brain, which can cause permanent brain damage or death.

The Clonazepam Challenge / Medication Challenge:

The Idea: This challenge encourages taking sedatives such as clonazepam (or other medications) and staying awake as much as possible.

The Risks: It has caused serious poisoning and injury to a large number of students, and may lead to death due to overdose or dangerous drug interactions.

Gorilla Glue Challenge:

The Concept: Some users apply very strong glue (such as Gorilla Glue) to their hair or other body parts.

Risks: Causes severe skin damage, burns, and requires medical intervention to remove the glue, and in some cases, surgery.

Charlie Charlie Challenge:

The Concept: A “spiritual” game that involves balancing two pencils on top of each other on a piece of paper marked “yes” and “no,” with the goal of summoning a spirit named Charlie.

Risks: Although it doesn’t involve direct physical harm, it can cause extreme fear and anxiety in children and teenagers who take the game seriously.

Skullbreaker Challenge:

The Concept: Three participants jump together, then two of them kick the third from behind while jumping, causing them to fall hard on their back or head.

Risks: Causes serious head and neck injuries, including skull fractures, concussions, and spinal injuries that can lead to paralysis.

Hot Water Challenge:

The idea: Drink boiling water or suddenly pour hot water on another person.

Risks: Severe first, second, and even third-degree burns, requiring intensive medical treatment and potentially leaving permanent scarring.

One Chip Challenge:

The idea: Eat a very hot potato chip containing very hot peppers (such as Carolina Reaper peppers).

Risks: Severe gastrointestinal pain, difficulty breathing, vomiting, and some cases may require medical intervention. In some cases, serious health problems and deaths have been reported.

Dangerous Driving/Theft Challenges:

The idea: Some challenges encourage reckless driving, or stealing certain cars (especially Kia and Hyundai in some areas) and filming the incident.

Risks: Fatal traffic accidents, serious injuries, and legal prosecution.

Note

These challenges highlight the urgent need to raise awareness among young people and parents about the risks inherent in content circulating on social media platforms, and the need for parental control and supervision of what children and teens view and share online.

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TikTok Challenge Burns Schools in America… What’s the Story Behind the Exciting Chromebook Challenge?!