State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Can't tell if it's fake news or the real thing? California has a bill for that

The Sacramento Bee: Here’s something that absolutely, undeniably, 100 percent happened: California lawmakers introduced legislation to help students become more media literate.

Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, and Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, on Wednesday both announced bills that would direct a state curriculum board to develop resources for schools to teach students how to distinguish what news stories they can trust.

“Recently, we have seen the corrupting effects of a deliberate propaganda campaign driven by fake news,” Gomez said in a statement. “When fake news is repeated, it becomes difficult for the public to discern what’s real. These attempts to mislead readers pose a direct threat to our democracy.”

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