This Reddit thread is one of a few anecdotal stories I have read about certain brands of USB-C dongles rendering an M1 Macbook Air to be completely unusable. Anyone know any more? Does this apply to other M1 computers? What to do to avoid the problem?
I do not think that this is something that happens exclusively to M1 Macbook Airs.
USB-C is a beast. It can be so many things. These days, you can power a laptop through such a cable. In combination with Thunderbolt, you can daisy-chain several displays to a Mac and much more.
I get the chills when I see all those cheap USB-C cables and dongles and docking stations. It only needs one bad USB-C device or cable or what not and you can severely damage any device connected to it.
https://www.electronicproducts.com/the-big-problem-with-fast-charging-using-usb-type-c-cables/
Is there an issue with the Macbook Air that makes it more prone to those issues? Maybe. Maybe not.
High speeds and watts and what not via USB might come with a higher potential for damage.
Do only use high quality dongles and cables from trusted manufacturers and sellers and hope for the best. 
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