Teens warned about dangers of shocking social media trend
Posted Jun 10, 2025 01:02:07 PM.
Last Updated Jun 10, 2025 02:44:19 PM.
Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is out with a warning about a shocking social media trend.
The ESA says teens are filming themselves putting paperclips into the USB port of laptops and Chromebooks, and then posting the footage online for “likes.”
“So what happens when they put a paperclip in that USB port is they observe a shock or a spark, and it seems to be quite exciting for them, unfortunately,” said Patience Cathcart, public safety officer and director of data science with the ESA.
Cathcart was on The Mike Farwell Show on Tuesday and said the action can lead to a lithium-ion battery fire.
“It can be an explosive situation,” Cathcart said.
She said some schools in North America have been evacuated because of the issue and the teens who get shocked can experience long-term health impacts.
“You can experience initially some pins and needles in your extremities, but it can also have musculoskeletal damage and nerve damage… and longer term, it can cause things like anxiety or muscle spasms.”
According to the ESA, more than 100 kids aged 15 and under are sent to the emergency room every year in Ontario because of a preventable electrical injury.
The authority is encouraging parents and caregivers to talk to their kids about the dangers of the social media trend and educate them on electrical safety.
