TikTok trends are notorious for wreaking havoc and causing damage to property. Some of these trends include the Devious Licks trend— where students vandalized or stole school property— and the door kicking challenge— where people kicked in or attempted to kick in the doors to strangers’ homes. These trends have sparked backlash from parents, school administrators, and law enforcement all over the country.
More recently, a trend has emerged where students insert mechanical pencils, paperclips, pushpins, or tinfoil into the USB or HDMI port of their school-issued Chromebooks. Many school districts across the country have issued alerts to staff, students, and families notifying them of the dangers that this trend poses. Several schools have already had full-scale evacuations take place because of these Chromebooks, which have caught on fire. According to Education Week, as of May 2025, 14 incidents have occurred in a week in a Massachusetts School District, 10 incidents in a Maryland School District and 15 incidents have occurred in a New Hampshire School District. In an alert sent to parents, Hillsborough Middle School Principal Joseph Trybulski said, “Any student who attempts to damage any Chromebook in this way or to create a classroom or school-wide disruption will face immediate school discipline, which could include suspension, and will lose some, if not all, of their end of the year privileges, including field trips, and special activities. I also indicated that any intentional damage done to district devices will result in fines, as intentional acts such as these are not covered by insurance.” Hillsborough High School Principal, Jeffery DiLollo said, “We have consequences in place for destruction of property. We have a code of conduct for vandalism, and we have a code of conduct for injury to persons. The consequences a student can face, falls under different categories and will be determined on a case by case scenario.”
Hillsborough’s Director of Technology, Joel Handler, cautions students not to damage their chromebooks. “Inserting foreign metal objects into a Chromebook’s ports, or any computer ports, presents significant dangers,” he said. Handler emphasized that students understand these are sensitive electronic devices that require careful handling and should only be used as intended to prevent costly damage and potential safety hazards. Handler also added that the damage will often render the Chromebooks unrepairable, and students found to be the cause of the damage would likely be charged $350 for the full replacement of the Chromebook.
Junior Riley Thompson said, “Human beings over the age of 11 shouldn’t need to be told that setting your computer on fire for a trend is a bad idea. To my fellow students who blindly follow these destructive trends; You are the reason shampoo has instructions.” Similarly, Senior Alex Gileece said, “It’s really stupid. It’s really dangerous for students if people are going to be sticking things into their chromebooks trying to blow them up.”
“It’s important for students to understand that engaging in such trends leads to damages to equipment, unnecessary expenses, and can disrupt their learning. Not only that, it can actually lead to physical harm.” said Handler.
Handler encourages students to stop and think about the consequences to their actions and make smart choices instead of just following things as they see online. Handler added that this trend provides students with the opportunity to learn how to navigate pressures effectively and resist the urge to participate in trends.
