The Chromebook Challenge Is The Latest Dumb & Dangerous TikTok Trend Kids Are Doing

Scientific advancements astonish us every day — from promising medical treatments to newly discovered species and stars. Similarly, every day, children are discovering new ways to be idiots.

Let’s face it, kids are amazing but their brains are basically Jell-O that doesn’t fully set until they’re in their mid-20s. It’s developmentally appropriate, but it’s still annoying, and in the case of the Chromebook Challenge, social media’s latest viral trend, expensive and dangerous.

From Washington to Pennsylvania and beyond, schools have complained of students taking part in the “Chromebook Challenge” which isn’t so much a “challenge” as “dumb.” It goes as follows: film yourself putting school supplies like refillable pencil lead or a paperclip or scissors in the USB port of a school-issued Chromebook in order to start an electrical fire with toxic smoke. Post it on TikTok (or YouTube, or Instagram, or wherever you post your content).

That’s it. That’s the challenge. Starting fires and ruining a perfectly good computer so the internet thinks you’re cool or something.

It goes without saying to those of us with full-formed frontal lobes, but this is not good on multiple levels. For one, parents are going to be responsible for the intentional damage done to school property and Chromebooks aren’t cheap (generally between $200 and $400). But it’s also dangerous, Newington, Connecticut, fire marshal DJ Zordan told NBC News.

“There is a risk of electrocution depending on what you’re inserting into these laptops,” he said. “If there’s a fire it’s producing toxic smoke. We don’t want people breathing that stuff. The lithium batteries are volatile. If it does explode there’s a potential that you’re going to injure people around you.”

Schools across the country have issued warnings via social media and in letters to parents.

And because these fires are intentional, those found starting them can be criminally charged, as was the case in Essex County, New Jersey where a 15-year-old student was charged with arson and criminal mischief.

“The Belleville Police and Fire Departments strongly urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the dangers of participating in online trends that can result in serious harm or criminal charges,” police said in a statement.

This isn’t the first time the children have been dumb for clout. Let us never forget the Tide Pod challenge or the more recent “Devious Licks” which was basically just, like, “How much damage can you do to school property?”

Guys: we are so close to the end of the school year. We’ve almost made it. Please make sure your kids don’t stumble at the finish line with electrocution and criminal charges...