Credit: Screenshot/NBC10.
Police in Montgomery County are issuing a strong warning to teenagers about the dangers and legal consequences of a new viral trend circulating on TikTok. The challenge involves teens running up to a house and forcefully kicking the front door, a stunt they may consider funny or harmless, but which authorities say is both reckless and against the law.
In one recent incident in Conshohocken, a local woman captured the so-called prank on her Ring doorbell camera and shared the footage with NBC10. The video clearly shows a group of teenagers sprinting up to her porch and violently kicking the front door, leaving visible damage to the property. What may have been intended as a moment of mischief left the homeowner startled and upset—and is now part of an active police investigation.
Lansdale Police Chief Mike Trail said his department has already identified the teens involved in that incident. He emphasized that while social media platforms like TikTok can be entertaining, they also come with serious risks—especially for young users who may not fully understand the consequences of their actions. He urged parents to take a more active role in supervising their children’s online activity.
“Parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing online and who they’re interacting with,” Chief Trail said. “There are safety tools built into many of these platforms—like TikTok’s Family Pairing feature—that allow parents to monitor and guide what their children are watching and posting.”
Unfortunately, this is just the latest in a series of dangerous social media challenges that police departments across the country have had to contend with. Previous trends like the cinnamon challenge, which led to serious health complications and even deaths, and the so-called Chromebook challenge, which involved students setting fire to school property, have also caused significant harm.
“These can have tragic results,” Trail said. “We’ve seen cases nationwide where a seemingly innocent challenge has led to injury, destruction, and in some heartbreaking cases, even loss of life. With more supervision, many of these incidents could have been avoided.”
Trail added that his concerns are even more pressing as summer begins. With school out, many kids have more free time and, in some cases, less direct supervision—making it even more important for parents and guardians to stay vigilant.
“Some children may think this is just a joke or a harmless prank, but the person on the receiving end of that prank might experience real fear or even physical harm,” he said. “It’s critical for young people to understand that actions have consequences. What seems like fun to them can result in property damage, emotional distress, and even criminal charges. These things can have truly disastrous results.”
