Product Overview of Chequeado and Chequeabot
Introduction
Chequeado is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2010 in Argentina, with the mission of improving the quality of public debate, strengthening the democratic system, and combating disinformation. At the heart of Chequeado’s efforts is its innovative fact-checking platform, Chequeabot.
What Chequeado Does
Chequeado focuses on verifying public discourse, fighting against disinformation, promoting access to information, and opening data to bring evidence into public discussions. The organization operates through several key programs: Media, Education, Innovation, and Impact and New Initiatives. These programs aim to enhance the quality of public debate by basing it more on data and facts, and less on opinions, prejudices, and biases.
Chequeabot: Key Features and Functionality
Automation and AI
Chequeabot is a fact-checking automation platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning. This technology enables the platform to identify and classify checkable statements from various media outlets, including newspapers, interviews, and social media platforms.
Data Collection and Analysis
Chequeabot collects statements from about 30 media outlets daily and presents them in a ranked format for the Chequeado team to review. This process allows the team to cover a broader range of media sites, especially those from areas outside the capital city of Argentina that might otherwise be overlooked.
Dashboard and Integration
The platform features a user-friendly web application where fact-checkers can log in to interact with the solutions. It integrates live feeds from various social networks into a single dashboard, enabling the classification, sorting, and recording of relevant information. This structured database stores verifications, processes, sources, and contents, facilitating thorough analysis and investigations.
Collaboration and Public Engagement
Chequeado engages with the public through platforms like Chequeado Colectivo, where readers can suggest fact checks and track the results. Additionally, the organization collaborates with WhatsApp and Facebook to receive and verify claims shared by users. This collaborative approach helps in disseminating verified information and combating misinformation on a wider scale.
Open Source and Replicability
Chequeado makes the Chequeabot code available on GitHub, allowing other newsrooms and fact-checking organizations to use and adapt the technology. This open-source approach aims to contribute to the replicability of the tool in other regions.
Continuous Improvement
The platform includes an automatic learning component where the editorial team can indicate whether the bot’s suggestions were correct or not. This feedback loop enhances the accuracy and efficiency of Chequeabot over time.
Impact
Chequeabot significantly reduces the time and manpower required for fact-checking by automating the initial stages of the process. It also helps in identifying claims that might be overlooked due to implicit biases and ensures that fact-checking efforts are more comprehensive and efficient. By minimizing the temporal gap between the emergence of misinformation and its verification, Chequeabot improves the overall quality and reliability of information available to the public.
In summary, Chequeado’s Chequeabot is a cutting-edge fact-checking platform that leverages AI, NLP, and machine learning to streamline and enhance the fact-checking process, making it a valuable tool in the fight against disinformation and the promotion of data-driven public discourse.