Bristol Superintendent Issues Warning About Dangerous TikTok Trend

BRISTOL, CT — School superintendents around the state, including Bristol, are warning parents of a “dangerous” TikTok trend involving Chromebooks.

Iris White, acting superintendent of schools in Bristol, notified parents on Monday and asked them to discuss the dangers with their children.

“In this trend, students are shown sticking conductive items such as graphite from pencils, aluminum foil, paper clips, etc., into their USB and other Chromebook ports to initiate smoke and sparks,” White said, in the notice.

According to White, Bristol school officials learned about the trend on Monday.

The practice has damaged Chromebooks and even caused some to catch on fire, posing a risk to student safety, White said.

“We ask that families please discuss the risks and potential dangers of participating in social media trends, such as this one, which may harm themselves or others,” White said, in the notice. “Student safety is always our priority; actions that endanger others will result in serious disciplinary consequences.”

WFSB recently reported on the trend, including how some schools in Connecticut have had to be evacuated because students stuck items in laptops, causing fires.