Overview

• The 'Chromebook Challenge' has led to fires in school-issued laptops, with students inserting conductive objects into ports to cause short circuits and smoke.
• Massachusetts alone has reported 14 incidents in just over a week, while cases have spread to states including New Jersey, Colorado, and California.
• Students involved face legal charges such as arson and criminal mischief, along with fines of up to $320 for damaged devices.
• TikTok has blocked searches for related terms, removed harmful content, and issued safety warnings, though the trend persists under alternative hashtags.
• Fire officials warn that damaged lithium-ion batteries can reignite hours later, posing ongoing fire and safety hazards even after initial incidents are contained.