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Key people at Chequeado.
Chequeado is a Buenos Aires, Argentina-based non-profit organization that verifies public statements from politicians, media outlets, and civic leaders to combat misinformation and improve public debate. The entity rates claims for factual truthfulness, promotes public access to open data, and operates with a dedicated staff of approximately 40 professionals. As the first fact-checking organization established in Latin America, it actively leads the LatamChequea network. This specific coalition coordinates regional verification efforts across 48 distinct organizations spanning 21 different countries worldwide. In partnership with the Spanish platform Maldita.es, the group launched the Factchequeado initiative in 2022 to address Spanish-language disinformation in the United States alongside more than 140 media partners. Recognized previously with the annual Gabo Innovation Award and FRIDA honors, Chequeado was founded in 2010 by Julio Aranovich, José Alberto Bekinschtein, and Roberto Lugo.
Chequeado is an Argentine non-profit organization and digital media outlet dedicated to fact-checking public discourse, combating disinformation, and improving the quality of public debate through open data, journalism, and education.[2][3][6] Founded in 2010, it verifies political statements, produces explainers and investigations, and develops tools like Chequeabot for efficient fact-checking, while training journalists and promoting media literacy across Latin America.[3][4] It operates non-partisanly, funding itself through diverse sources including content licensing, donations, grants, workshops, and crowdfunding campaigns like #NoMandenFruta.[3][7]
Chequeado's work centers on three pillars: media verification, education for critical thinking, and innovation via civic tech, reaching audiences through websites, podcasts, WhatsApp, social media, and mainstream outlets.[1][3] It has expanded into a regional network, Latam Chequea, partnering with 20 organizations in 14 countries, and influences the Spanish-language information ecosystem by fostering collaboration among 135+ outlets.[1][4]
Chequeado emerged in 2010 amid Argentina's polarized political landscape, where the government clashed with private media, leaving citizens caught in the crossfire.[2][4] It was founded by a chemist, an economist, and a physicist—dissatisfied with traditional media and concerned about public policy quality—who launched the site using personal funds to provide evidence-based information.[2][7] Laura Zommer, a key figure hired as executive director in 2012, drove its independence by diversifying revenue and scaling operations.[4][7]
Early traction came from rigorous fact-checking of political claims, data journalism, and public engagement tools like Chequeo Colectivo for crowd-sourced verification.[3] Pivotal moments include developing Chequeabot in response to rising misinformation, expanding education programs for youth, and building Latam Chequea in 2014 to share expertise regionally.[3][4] From an eight-member team in Buenos Aires, it evolved into a multi-pillar organization with open-office collaboration across media, education, and innovation.[2]
Chequeado rides the global surge in misinformation, amplified by social media algorithms and political polarization, positioning itself as a pioneer in Latin American fact-checking since 2010.[2][4] Its timing aligns with rising AI-driven disinformation and elections (e.g., Argentina's 2010s volatility), where tools like Chequeabot leverage technology as both problem and solution—scanning content faster than manual methods.[4] Market forces favoring it include demand for trusted Spanish-language info amid Latino community growth, collaborative media ecosystems, and civic tech adoption on platforms like WhatsApp.[1]
It influences the ecosystem by open-sourcing workflows, training 135+ outlets across 25 U.S. states/Puerto Rico (via related efforts) and Latin America, and amplifying excluded voices through audience-centered innovation.[1][4] As a non-profit IFCN signatory, it sets standards for non-partisan verification, fostering resilient democracies via better public debate.[6][8]
Chequeado is poised to deepen AI integration in fact-checking, expanding Chequeabot-like tools amid escalating deepfakes and elections, while scaling Latam Chequea for pan-regional impact.[4] Trends like social-first civic tech and collaborative media networks will shape its growth, potentially boosting revenue through licensed tools and global grants. Its influence may evolve from national verifier to ecosystem builder, empowering Latino communities against info manipulation—reinforcing its founding mission to elevate public discourse with evidence over rhetoric.[2][5]
Key people at Chequeado.
