Dangerous social media challenge ignites safety concerns in some Canadian classrooms

A new and potentially dangerous social media challenge called the “Chromebook Challenge,” which has already caused trouble in many schools in the United States, has now made its way to some schools in Canada.

In the challenge, students insert objects such as paper clips, staples and pencil sharpeners into the charging ports, under the keyboard buttons or near the lithium-ion batteries of school laptops, in an attempt to connect the device and cause it to smoke or catch fire in an attempt to disrupt the classroom.

“It’s really sad that people would do something like this. It’s not only damaging property, it’s also putting lives at risk,” said Carol Henke, public relations officer for the Calgary Fire Department.

Students often film the moments and post them on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Media expert Adam Rodrigues says some social media users, especially teenagers, are looking for attention and approval, and sometimes they engage in these dangerous trends due to peer pressure.

“If you’re known as the funny guy in class, this challenge can be a new version of the same pranks that give you a sense of social belonging (at least in the virtual world),” he added.

While no cases have been reported in schools under the Calgary Board of Education, the Calgary Catholic School Board confirmed that one of its high schools has been involved.

The Edmonton Public Schools Board has also reported four cases, and the Edmonton Catholic School Board said in a statement:
“There have been sporadic incidents at some of our schools.”

In one such incident, the Edmonton Fire Department was also called out, and in an email to CTV News, it was reported that the incident appeared to be related to the same social media challenge.

Henke warned of the potential dangers of lithium-ion batteries if damaged, misused or improperly disposed of, saying:
“If these batteries overheat, they can explode and produce very toxic and dangerous fumes. It’s really, really dangerous.”

The Chromebook challenge has already caused problems in the United States, with dozens of cases reported in some areas. In one incident, a teenager was hospitalized, and in others, legal charges such as vandalism have been filed.

As videos of the challenge spread on social media, TikTok said it was removing content that violated its rules on “dangerous activities and challenges,” and also limited the ability to search for related terms and hashtags, directing users to its community rules and guidelines page.

“It’s unclear exactly where this trend will end, but I think schools are taking very quick and serious action to stop it,” Rodrigues said.

Some Alberta school districts have also confirmed that they are constantly reminding students of the serious dangers and consequences of misusing school equipment.

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