You won’t believe the latest stupid thing kids are doing online
If there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that kids will always come up with ridiculous ideas. Who could forget the Tide Pod Challenge that went viral a couple of years ago?
Of course, that’s just one of the greatest hits from over the years. Social media has really made it easy for dangerous challenges like this to spread. The Facebook 48 hour challenge was another misguided phenomenon. Tap or click here to learn about it.
Like clockwork, another social media challenge is making the rounds — and this one could set your house on fire.
Outlet Challenge encourages stupidity
Have you heard about the popular app TikTok? It’s an app that lets you share 15-second videos with the world. Tap or click here for everything you need to know about TikTok.
While most of the videos on the app are harmless, there is a new “challenge” spreading that could cause serious harm.
It’s called the “Outlet Challenge” and here’s how it works. You’re supposed to plug a phone charger into an electrical outlet, but only part of the way, leaving a portion of the prongs exposed. Then, you slide a penny down the wall onto the exposed prongs.
There are multiple possible results that can come from doing this. Hint: None of them good.
For one, It can cause sparks to fly from the outlet. It can also cause electrical system damage and, in some cases, it can start a fire. Of course, those who choose to do the Outlet Challenge are supposed to film it and post it to TikTok with the hashtag #OutletChallenge.
You’re probably wondering who in the world would be foolish enough to do this. Well, you’d be surprised. There are multiple reports of fire damage in homes and schools around the U.S. from the idiotic challenge.
Here’s a video explaining how multiple people are going for this dumb challenge.
RELATED: Netflix warns people to not take the Bird Box Challenge
Fire department officials all across the country are spreading the word, pleading with people to not take the Outlet Challenge.
They are also encouraging parents to speak with their children about it before it’s too late. Alert them to this challenge and discuss fire and electrical safety. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Don’t forget to share this article with family and friends so they know what’s going on. Hopefully, with enough awareness, we can help stop this challenge from spreading further.