Massachusetts fire officials issued a warning about a social media trend that is sparking concern.
The trend suggests inserting a paper clip, pencil lead, or other conductive object into a laptop computer’s charging port.
This can cause a short circuit that increases the device’s temperature and can cause smoke, sparks, or a fire. One such incident took place at a school in upstate New York last week.
A number of reported incidents in Massachusetts have been interrupted by teachers who spotted the abuse of school-issued laptops. One student was reported to be injured.
The trend appears to have started on TikTok.
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