Jun 6, 2017

Google launches news literacy program

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File

Google announced a news literacy program Tuesday designed to help kids make smart decisions online through games and tutorials. Google has also co-created a classroom curriculum with the Internet Keep Safe Coalition to help teachers include news literacy in their lessons.

Google is already hugely influential in U.S. classrooms — it accounts for more than half of mobile devices shipped to schools (Chromebooks) and reaches more than 30 million children on apps like Gmail and Docs, not to mention its dominance in search.

Why it matters: Fact-checking and news literacy has become a pressing issue for younger generations who are growing up online. A national study from edtech firm MindEdge Learning and Research Now found that nearly half (44%) of millennial respondents received a relative 'F' when it comes to having the critical thinking skills necessary to separate fake news from factual information. Millennials are also less likely to remember news sources on social media platforms.

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Fed will lend up to $2.3 trillion amid coronavirus crisis

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell at a press conference in March. Photo: Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

The Federal Reserve announced Thursday that it will support with the coronavirus-hit economy with up to $2.3 trillion in loans to businesses, state and city governments — made possible by Treasury funds set aside in the government stimulus package.

Why it matters: The Fed has taken more action amid the coronavirus outbreak than it has in any other financial crisis in U.S. history in an effort to blunt the effects of the resultant economic shutdown.

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Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

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Why it matters: It adds to the staggering 10 million jobless claims in recent weeks — by far the sharpest spikes in American history — as the world economy has ground to a halt in an effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

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Yelp cutting 1,000 jobs, furloughing others

An image from a Yelp donation program launched in the wake of Covid-19. Photo: Yelp

Yelp told employees Thursday that it is cutting 1,000 jobs and furloughing another 1,100 workers amid a massive drop in its business.

Why it matters: Yelp is the latest company catering to small businesses that has seen much of its customer base decimated amid the COVID-19 outbreak and related shutdowns.

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