Our mission
Fundación Maldita.es exists to help citizens make decisions based on verified information and to ensure they are not misled in the fight against disinformation. It does so through journalism, technology, education, and new formats. Disinformation affects all layers of society and is present in our daily lives; the Foundation develops tools to combat it and produces evidence-based information so that all relevant stakeholders—from legislators to content distribution platforms, journalists, citizens, and governments—have reliable data to rely on.
We understand our work as grounded in listening to citizens’ needs: people ask us questions, and we respond with data, facts, and evidence so they can make their own informed decisions, knowing what is false. Disinformation affects not only how we vote, but also how we consume, which school we choose for our children, or what medical treatment we select; it is designed to manipulate our emotions and appeal to our feelings. Maldita.es is here to support decision-making with verified facts and data, through journalism, technology, education, and new formats.
If you would like to learn more about why and how we work, we invite you to visit the Fundación Maldita.es website.
We are independent
Fundación Maldita.es is an independent organization that responds exclusively to its methodologies (disinformation and “buloteca”) and to the editorial criteria of its newsroom. Although we do not sign individual articles—many are the result of collective work, and this also helps protect journalists from targeted attacks by denialists and disinformation actors—the biographies of all team members are public and available here. Our entire team adheres to a neutrality policy and a code of conduct designed to safeguard this independence. Our correction policy, financial accounts, and the activities, partnerships, and projects we are involved in are also publicly available.
Maldita.es is a non-profit foundation. This means it does not belong to any media outlet or company, it cannot be bought, and it does not seek to generate profits for shareholders—because it has none. Fundación Maldita.es belongs to civil society.
We do not carry advertising, but when collaborations with companies or institutions align with our mission to fight disinformation, we may engage in paid partnerships. In such cases, we sign agreements that protect our editorial independence and include clauses allowing us to make these agreements public. All such income is reflected in our accounts for full transparency, and we explain the nature of each collaboration. We will never accept any agreement that allows external parties to influence what we publish. Additionally, if we mention any partner organization in our articles, we clearly disclose that relationship. To further safeguard our independence, we also rely on the support of our community. Any support helps us fulfill our mission.
At Maldita.es, we believe transparency is essential: as part of our community, you have the right to know who is behind this project, how decisions are made, where our funding comes from, and how we use it—because Maldita.es is also yours. We know this matters for maintaining your trust, and that’s why we aim to explain everything clearly.
Today, we are a non-profit foundation thanks to the support of those who contributed to our 2019 crowdfunding campaign, and we also continue to operate as an association. We maintain both entities because some long-term projects are still managed by the association and cannot be closed abruptly. Gradually, we are transferring staff and projects to the foundation, with the goal of eventually closing the association. Both entities are registered in Spain.
The Foundation
Fundación Maldita.es contra la desinformación: periodismo, educación, investigación y datos en nuevos formatos was established in 2019 with three founders who provided the initial endowment of €30,000 and later became members of its board:
- Clara Jiménez Cruz
- Julio Montes Moreno
- Asociación Maldita contra la desinformación: periodismo, educación, investigación y datos en nuevos formatos
You can find the foundation’s registration details, statutes, and board composition through the official records.
The Association
Asociación Maldita contra la desinformación: periodismo, educación, investigación y datos en nuevos formatos was established in September 2018 with five founders:
- Clara Jiménez Cruz
- Julio Montes Moreno
- David Fernández
- Ignacio Calle Fernández
- Stéphane Manuel Grueso Lenoir
Information about its current board and statutes is publicly available.
Editorial and organizational team
Both entities operate in practice as a single organization, with the following leadership structure:
Management
- Clara Jiménez Cruz – CEO
- Julio Montes – Director
- David Fernández – CTO
- Ximena Villagrán – COO
- Pedro Santana – CFO
- Carlos Hernández-Echevarría – Deputy Director & Head of Public Policy and Institutional Development
- Rocío Benavente – Deputy Director & Head of Sustainability Strategy and Development
Editors-in-chief
- Ana Gómez Parra – Newsroom Coordinator
- Pablo Hernández – Academic Research Coordinator
Editors
- Cristina Armunia
- Natalia Diez
Section Heads
- Carmen Mesa – Disinformation coordinator
- Laura García Merino – Science coordinator
- Maribel Ángel-Moreno – Climate coordinator
- Magdalena Torga – Citizen Protection coordinator
- Beatriz Lara – Community coordinator
- Lucía Gómez – Maldita Educa coordinator
- Stéphane Grueso – Audiovisual coordinator
- Claudia Ocaranza – Partnerships and Innovation coordinator
Full team biographies are publicly available here.
Our editorial projects
- MALDITA.ES: A media outlet producing content for general audiences focused on disinformation. Using a fact-checking methodology validated by the International Fact-Checking Network and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, our team creates multiplatform content to debunk disinformation on politics, science, health, climate, migration, and gender. We also publish investigations into the disinformation ecosystem.
- FACTOUS: A verified information space on social media aimed at combating disinformation where younger audiences spend their time. Through short videos (30–40 seconds) using clear, direct language and references from internet and popular culture, Factous provides context and verified data in an accessible way.
- MALDITA.ES CONTENT AGENCY (ACM): A platform offering free content that can be republished by third parties, especially designed for small, independent, or resource-limited newsrooms. All content has already passed Maldita.es’ methodological standards.
Our internal teams
- NEWSROOM & RESEARCH: Journalists, data analysts, and OSINT experts monitor disinformation trends and narratives, collecting data to produce investigations on the creation, dissemination, and impact of disinformation and influence campaigns.
- EDUCATION: Educators and pedagogues develop media literacy and prebunking strategies, delivering training programs for schools, senior centers, companies, and trainers.
- AI & DATA: Developers and data experts build tools to collect and analyze global disinformation data, applying AI with human validation.
- PUBLIC POLICY: Provides evidence-based recommendations and data to decision-makers to support effective responses to disinformation.
- ACADEMIA: Collaborates with universities worldwide to produce scientific research on disinformation and effective countermeasures.
- PROJECTS: Identifies opportunities and coordinates work across teams and with external partners.
Botalite and our WhatsApp chatbot
In late 2021, following the success of our WhatsApp chatbot developed with Wealize, we created Botalite SL, a company fully managed by the Foundation to provide this tool to other organizations. It now supports more than 20 fact-checkers worldwide. The company has not distributed dividends. Here you can read the Foundation's Investment Code.
Advisory boards
We recognize that we do not know everything. In addition to relying on our community, we create advisory boards to provide expertise, support projects, and safeguard independence. These boards also review content to ensure rigor and accuracy. Currently, there are no active advisory boards.
Collaboration, community, and partnerships
Maldita.es is possible thanks to all of you, who collaborate by alerting us to circulating hoaxes and helping us debunk them with your “superpowers.” You also play a key role in making the truth travel further by sharing our fact-checks and holding politicians accountable so they do not manipulate data or facts. Together, we build a stronger, better-informed community that is harder to mislead.
We are convinced that the fight against disinformation is more effective and impactful when it is carried out through collaboration and cooperation with citizens, other journalistic organizations, civil society groups, universities, companies, and media outlets.
Below is a detailed list of the partnerships we currently maintain to expand the impact of our work and strengthen the fight against disinformation:
Media
- CHEQUEADO: We have not only a strong professional relationship with the Argentine fact-checking organization Chequeado, but also a joint project in the United States aimed at Spanish-speaking audiences called Factchequeado. This collaborative initiative fosters partnerships with Spanish- and English-language media—both large and small—and fact-checking organizations to better engage diverse communities and promote the circulation of verified information in Spanish. Here you can learn more about the initiative and the reasons behind it.
- ONDA CERO: We collaborate every Saturday on the editorial panel of the radio program Julia en la Onda, hosted by Julia Otero.
- CANAL SUR: We have a regular segment on Fridays in the program Mesa de Análisis.
- RADIO CASTILLA-LA MANCHA: We contribute a weekly segment on Tuesdays in the Castilla-La Mancha a las 8 news program.
- 20 MINUTOS: We collaborate twice a week with this outlet, both in digital and print formats. Here you can find the articles we publish.
- CONSUMER: Maldita.es collaborates with Consumer, a publication by the EROSKI Foundation, through monthly articles and videos on health, nutrition, and food safety. All content produced follows Maldita.es’ editorial standards and methodology, relying on expert sources and scientific evidence. To ensure neutrality, transparency, and clear correction policies, Maldita.es does not use sources related to Eroski Consumer in this content.
Additionally, we occasionally collaborate with eldiario.es, Servimedia, TVE, and other national and regional media outlets. It is also important to highlight that Maldita.es has its own Content Agency (ACM): a platform offering free content that can be republished by third parties, especially designed for small, independent, or resource-limited newsrooms. These materials are adapted from Maldita.es publications that have already passed our methodological standards.
Civil society
- PLENA INCLUSIÓN: We have an agreement with Plena Inclusión España to adapt our content into easy-to-read formats for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- PANTALLAS AMIGAS: We collaborate to develop tools and informational materials on privacy, data protection, and digital inclusion.
- EUROPEAN FOOD INFORMATION COUNCIL (EUFIC): We partner to develop initiatives and activities focused on combating disinformation related to nutrition and food. We also collaborate in identifying funding opportunities and promoting each other’s work across websites and social media.
- ASHOKA: Our co-founder and CEO, Clara Jiménez Cruz, was selected as an Ashoka Fellow in 2019. Ashoka is a global non-profit organization and a leading network in social entrepreneurship, with more than 3,500 social entrepreneurs and 300 Changemaker Schools worldwide.
Journalistic organizations
- EUROPEAN FACT-CHECKING STANDARDS NETWORK (EFCSN): EFCSN is a non-profit organization that ensures compliance with methodological, ethical, and transparency standards among European fact-checkers. It promotes high-quality fact-checking and media literacy through the European Code of Standards. Maldita.es is a founding member and is in the process of becoming a verified member. Our CEO serves as President of its governing body (recusing herself from decisions involving Maldita.es).
- INTERNATIONAL FACT-CHECKING NETWORK (IFCN): IFCN is a global alliance that ensures fact-checkers adhere to principles that guarantee impartiality and professionalism. Maldita.es has been a signatory of its Code of Principles since 2018 and undergoes an annual independent evaluation and advisory board review. Our CEO is also a member of IFCN’s Advisory Board (recusing herself in relevant decisions).
- International Press Institute (IPI): The IPI is a global network of editors, media executives, and journalists committed to independent, high-quality journalism and to promoting conditions that allow media to operate freely and without interference.
- GLOBAL FORUM FOR MEDIA DEVELOPMENT (GFMD): GFMD is the world’s largest network supporting media development and press freedom. Through collaboration and collective action, its 147 member organizations promote journalism as a public good. Maldita.es benefits from its global network, training opportunities, and resources on organizational strategy, fundraising, and development.
- GLOBAL INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM NETWORK (GIJN): Founded in 2003, GIJN supports investigative journalism worldwide through tools, training, and collaboration. As part of its network of 244 organizations in 90 countries, Maldita.es gains access to global resources, partnerships, and a voice in key network decisions.
Universities
We regularly collaborate with universities on research and training related to disinformation. Notably, we work with partner universities in Iberifier, the Iberian Digital Media Observatory for Spain and Portugal, of which Maldita.es is a member.
Accounts
In the “Malditas Cuentas” section, you can review our annual budget. Since our inception, we have published full financial statements for both the Foundation and the Association.
We also provide detailed breakdowns of recent years, including all income sources representing more than 1% of total revenue or that could pose a potential conflict of interest, in line with European standards for fact-checking organizations.