Caio Almeida is a software engineer at Meedan, a non-profit organization focused on improving the main vehicle through which knowledge travels today: the internet. In the context of the steadily growing use of messaging apps and during critical information scenarios, such as elections or natural disasters, Meedan champions reliable and accessible information. Caio will share these media-focused proposals during a keynote at Media Party Buenos Aires 2024, taking place from August 29 to 31.
A common misconception about innovation is thinking that it requires large-scale changes, when in reality, it is a continuous process that can be driven by small, incremental changes,” Caio said in a conversation with Media Party.
In his current role, he leads the software engineering team for Check, Meedan’s open-source solution that allows journalists and civil society organizations to connect directly with their audiences. This role involves software development, code reviews, software architecture, planning, and ongoing collaboration with other developers and cross-functional teams, such as Product.
He is also responsible for advising on technical integrations between Check and other tools that journalists use to archive and conduct data journalism.
-What is Meedan and how can journalists connect with the organization?
Meedan is a non-profit technology organization focused on building digital tools for global journalism, information distribution, community engagement, and fact-checking. Our mission is to improve the quality of information available to the public by addressing challenges like disinformation and access to reliable information.
Meedan develops open-source software that helps organizations and newsrooms manage and verify information, especially within the context of messaging platforms. We are always looking for new, like-minded organizations and individuals to collaborate with. There are several ways we can work together: networking, exchanging ideas, and through the Check application. You can contact us through our website.
-What is Check and how can it be used by newsrooms?
Check is a software solution that has powered award-winning collaborative journalism projects around the world over the past decade. Notably, for election coverage, Check was the tool behind award-winning projects covering elections in the United States (2016), France (2017), Mexico (2018), India (2019), Brazil (2022), and most recently, Argentina (2023), as well as India and Mexico in 2024.
It has played a crucial role in bringing different organizations together to work toward the same goal, streamlining the fact-checking process and allowing audiences to request verification of content, information, or resources.
The workspaces that journalists use in Check implement various innovations that help them prioritize requests and group similar content.
Our goal is to support journalists and other communicators in meeting the growing demand for new information distribution channels.
With an Eye on the Media Party Hackathon
Media Party will dedicate its third day to its classic hackathon—a collaborative workday to develop high-impact tools, products, or services for the news and media industry. It will take place at AreaTres El Salvador, and registration is required to participate.
-Any key tips for those looking to build an innovative project? This info could be useful for those participating in the hackathon.
It is important to reflect on the challenges you’ve encountered along the way and consider how interdisciplinary collaboration can address these issues from multiple angles. By bringing together diverse skills and perspectives alongside your own experience, you can develop more effective and innovative solutions that tackle the problem comprehensively and efficiently.
-What are newsrooms lacking to be innovative? Are there misconceptions about what innovation is?
I believe that adopting a more data-driven decision-making process to better understand your audience, along with interdisciplinary collaboration, are key aspects to adapting to new technologies and changes in the sector. A common misconception about innovation is thinking that it requires large-scale changes, when in reality, it is a continuous process that can be driven by small, incremental changes.
Caio will deliver a keynote at Media Party, during a day that will also feature other international speakers, such as Annemarie Dooling, Vice President of Audience at USA Today Network.
Register for Media Party and learn more.
For your calendar:
The 12th edition of Media Party 2024 is coming to Buenos Aires, the largest media innovation conference in Latin America. A global gathering for journalists, designers, entrepreneurs, and tech experts, generating innovative dialogues with an impact on the media ecosystem.
The event will take place from August 29 to 31, 2024. The first two days will be held at Ciudad Cultural Konex, and the third day—the day of the hackathon—will take place at AreaTres El Salvador.
Media Party is not a typical conference. For three days, attendees immerse themselves in an exploration of pioneering practices in journalism, artificial intelligence, and innovation in the media business.
This year, Media Party is supported by Google News Initiative, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), IFPIM, Meedan, MDIF, Internet Society, Telecom — Redacciones 5G, JournalismAI, News Product Alliance, Adepa, and AreaTres, among other organizations.
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