The term “fake news” skyrocketed in popularity in late 2016, and for many Americans, it’s most closely associated with politics. But according to Alice Marwick, assistant professor in the College of Arts & Science's communications department, the spread of false information isn’t limited to only political headlines.

“You can make a lot of money just by spreading these kinds of viral stories through Facebook,” explained Marwick.

High-traffic pages can sell advertisements to sponsors and reap the financial reward of a false headline.

Marwick explained that sometimes, though, the fake news, which she defines as "problematic information," is created because the writer really believes it to be true. “They have a very strong ideological belief, and they're trying to persuade people to their point of view,” she said.

Marwick and the team at Carolina’s Center for Information, Technology and Public Life are analyzing fake news and other major problems surrounding the dissemination of information.

On this week's episode of Well Said, Marwick’s discusses her research on fake news and shares her tips on how to determine if information is true.