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University of Michigan to help citizens spot fake news

Fake news from The Onion
The Onion
Fake news from The Onion

Fake news has become ubiquitous, and it's more sophisticated and thus harder to spot, say communications experts at the University of Michigan.

In response, they'll offer a free online course on Friday, "Fake News, Facts, and Alternative Facts" on the edX website, which universities use to offer free classes to the public.

Brian Weeks teaches communication studies.  He says it's good news that Google and Facebook are launching new tools to help people try to determine if something is true.  But he thinks the best strategy is citizen education.

"I think inaccurate information and fake news is a threat to fundamental foundations of democracy," says Weeks.  "I mean, in order to have a meaningful political dialogue, we need to come to some sort of agreement on the facts."

Weeks says one tip is to always read past the headline.  People should find out who wrote the story, and see if other reputable news organizations reported the same story.

He says people need to question their own biases - as well as those of their friends who share stories on Facebook and other social media outlets.

Copyright 2017 Michigan Radio

Tracy Samilton covers the auto beat for Michigan Radio. She has worked for the station for 12 years, and started out as an intern before becoming a part-time and, later, a full-time reporter. Tracy's reports on the auto industry can frequently be heard on Morning Edition and All Things Considered, as well as on Michigan Radio. She considers her coverage of the landmark lawsuit against the University of Michigan for its use of affirmative action a highlight of her reporting career.