Why News Literacy Matters
　　The first printing presses arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1600s, an important step in the history of America’s free press. A free press is necessary in democratic society. It allows citizens to criticize the country’s leaders without fear.
　　However, it can also lead to news that is false. Today, we often hear about “fake news,” a phrase the public and politicians use to refer to news they do not think is true. While people have paid much attention to the term in recent years, the problem is not new. Fake news has existed since modern journalism began.
　　News comes to us in many forms, every hour of every day. Often we receive it instantly, on our phones. How can we manage this mountain of information so that fake news does not mislead us? We must acquire news literacy, the ability to use our critical thinking skills to judge whether or not news reports are credible.