Fact-checking, essential for the right to access information

In the last few days, it has been quite difficult to encounter a news story in media that isn't directly related to the covid-19 pandemic. The virus has made a profound impact in the way that countries manage their own economies, their social relations and other relevant factors for daily life. Because of this, it's normal that many people feel fear about experiencing something they're not familiar with. There aren't any precedents for this pandemic, it's new for everyone.

Some people get caught up with fear and because of this, there are parties interested in spreading false information, in order to cause uncertainty in their communities. Social media have become a canal to turn some images, documents and videos into viral content, even if their veracity is being questioned.

The covid-19 pandemic is a health emergency that has taken over the entire globe. Because of this, it is crucial that citizens are able to access objetive and truthful information. If they are able to do so, they will have the ability to make the best decision. Because of this, the effort that is made by websites dedicated to fact-checking is very valuable. They are doing a public service by confirming or denying data that has taken over daily, national and international public conversations.

Even though the exercise of fact-checking exists in other disciplines, fact-checking in journalism has become even more important since the disruption caused by fake news in the last five years. In Latin America, Chequeado.com is the oldest fact-checking website, founded in 2010. Since its foundation, the site's goal is confirming the truth in the statements made by politicians, businessmen, and other people that are of public interest for Argentina. Chequeado.com has become a model for Latin America media to follow, in order to get started in the task of fact-checking.

In this year, Chequeado.com has established collaboration efforts with other Latin American media in order to make a resume of all the confirmed or denied data related with the covid-10 pandemic. In Guatemala, Agencia Ocote has a fact-checking section called Fáctica, (https://agenciaocote.com/proyectos/factica/) that has spent the last couple of weeks verifying information related with covid-19 and the government's response to this emergency. Everyone who may be interested in confirming the truthfulness of viral content on the interent, they may contact this fact-checing effort through their social media.