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Google is partnering with YouTube to teach kids about fake news
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Google is partnering with YouTube channels to help teach children about the dangers of fake news, according to Polygon. - photo by Herb Scribner
Google is partnering with YouTube channels to help teach children about the dangers of fake news, according to Polygon.

The partnership includes accounts like asapSCIENCE, which has won awards for its science-based videos, and Smarter Every Day, which has 5.5 million subscribers, a YouTube representative told Polygon.

The company plans to release more information about these partnerships soon.

The goal is to help teach kids how to discern what is fact and what is fiction when theyre reading news articles or watching YouTube videos, according to Polygon.

Google announced a $300 million investment into the Google News Initiative, which will work to help news publishers develop a stronger relationship with Google, according to Nieman Labs.

Google said it will also commit $10 million to a global media literacy initiative.

In fact, Google.org will invest $3 million into MediaWise, a global partnership between the Poynter Institute, Stanford University Education Group and the Local Media Association to teach media literacy through classroom education with the help of, you guessed it, YouTube accounts.

Google's project comes as YouTube faces tremendous criticism for its YouTube Kids app. A Business Insider report found that YouTube Kids suggested videos that contain conspiracy theories, like the Earth being flat and that the planet is ruled by reptile-human hybrids.

YouTube later removed 25 videos after Business Insider told the company about its report, according to the Deseret News.

YouTube faced similar criticism last year when parents noticed that seemingly harmless cartoon videos on the YouTube Kids app contained violent images.

The YouTube Kids app is home to a wide variety of content that includes enriching and entertaining videos for families, YouTube said in a statement, according to Mashable. This content is screened using human trained systems. That being said, no system is perfect and sometimes we miss the mark. When we do, we take immediate action to block the videos or, as necessary, channels from appearing in the app. We will continue to work to improve the YouTube Kids app experience.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.