‘A recipe for disaster’: How Edmonton schools are handling a dangerous new social media trend

Social media strategist Adam Rodricks explains the "Chromebook Challenge," where students stick objects into the ports of their laptops.

Edmonton schools are dealing with a new and dangerous social media trend. Both EPSB and ECSD say students are disrupting class by purposely damaging Chromebooks. Adam Roderick, a social media strategist, joined CTV Morning Live’s Kent Morrison on the so-called “Chromebook challenge.”

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Kent Morrison: What is this challenge exactly?

Adam Roderick: When I first heard about a Chromebook challenge, I thought it was some sort of glorified typing test, but alas, it’s a viral trend going on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Students are jamming objects, such as paper clips or mechanical pencils, into their computer ports in an effort to make them smoke, catch fire, and ultimately to disrupt school classes. Now, it’s led to destruction, suspensions and in a few extreme cases, hospitalization of students as well as teachers.

Kent: Do we understand why kids are willing to do this?

Adam: I think when we go to the currency of social media, it’s about attention, and for younger people in particular, it’s about validation. When you stack on peer pressure, even social belonging, as well as a lack of understanding for consequences, it’s a recipe for disaster.

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Kent: We’ve seen this make its way through parts of the United States and now coming to Edmonton. Has a precedent been set here or have charges been laid? Because this is a destruction of property.

Adam: Absolutely. Schools are doing anything and everything they can to quell this. Schools are asking parents to speak to their children about the danger. Many of them are also sending home formal communications directly, where they have a take home device policy. They’re letting them know that you will be charged for any damaged equipment. As you said, disciplinary action. It’s all on the table, including expulsions as well as charges.

Kent: What’s your advice for approaching your kids about this?

Adam: I think it’s a broader conversation around the dangers of social media, and that’s something that we need to do outside of the Chromebook challenge. This is not new. This is certainly not the first time, and as much as I’d love to say we hope this is the last time, something tells me we’ll be talking about something else next month.

Kent: For parents who often aren’t on these platforms and maybe can’t see these challenges coming – is there a way to get an edge on this, given that your teens are going to have more access to what’s online?

Adam: Absolutely, and it certainly needs to be a team effort. We’re really happy to see the major social networks getting involved. TikTok, for example, is suppressing the search for the hashtag ‘Chromebook challenge’ as well. The schools play a vital role, so sending home those communications, letting the parents know what’s happening on the ground, this is going to be really critical to ensure that we’re hitting it from all angles.

Kent: Do these platforms bear a responsibility to shut these things down before they get this big?

Adam: With trending media, it’s harder than ever to quell this. We don’t know of the potential dangers until often it’s too late. To be clear, a lot of these students were allured by a smoke show. Lithium-ion batteries, like the ones in Chromebooks, can heat up to about 400 degrees, which can cause serious damage. The chemicals inside all of our devices, like our computers and phones, when heated up, are also incredibly toxic.