New TikTok Trend Involving School Laptops Prompts Urgent Warning from Firefighters
Social media has a tendency to bring out the worst in people sometimes. While the platforms are great, a lot of people are just so set upon getting likes and comments, they will pretty much do anything to get the attention.
Over the years, there have been plenty of social media challenges, and some of them have been quite dangerous. Remember the Tide Pod Challenge? People were filming themselves eating the laundry detergent, filled with chemicals meant to be used for cleaning clothes. They can also be toxic if ingested.
Another social media trend has become so popular that it has caught the attention of law enforcement in Colorado. The Greeley Fire Department is warning citizens not to attempt this new challenge due to its dangers of starting a fire.
What is the Chromebook Challenge, and Why is it Dangerous?
Chromebooks are school-issued laptops that students across the United States are given during the school year. This new social media challenge is encouraging kids to stab the Chromebook's battery or another area of the laptop to make the electronic device short-circuit.
The danger from this challenge comes from the Chromebook's lithium-ion battery. If this battery happens to be damaged or punctured, it can rapidly release toxic gases that are unsafe to breathe, even for a short amount of time.
READ MORE: Colorado Ranks as the Second Most Dangerous State in the USA
Lithium-ion batteries can also explode with no warning and cause fires and serious injuries.
If you know a school-aged student, we ask that you sit down with them and talk about this trend and why they shouldn't do it. Please share this post to increase awareness and help us keep our students, and community, safe!
Said the post from the Greeley Fire Department. For more information on this social media trend and how dangerous it can be to stab a laptop, see the Facebook post below:
