Watchdog is a multidisciplinary team operating under the Appendix umbrella, consisting of journalists, researchers, and software engineers. Our mission is to combat misinformation, investigate issues of public welfare, and develop software tools to empower our work. Founded in April 2019, shortly after the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, Watchdog emerged as a concerned citizen-led initiative to counter fake news and rumors amidst government restrictions on freedom of expression.

We developed a mobile app used by over 200,000 people to verify information and combat rumors within their own networks. As an open-source intelligence research collective, we combine data scraping, analysis of publicly available documents, and boots-on-the-ground journalism to deliver accurate and reliable information. Under the Appendix umbrella, we also act as a testing ground for new technology, including our #AskWatchdog AI, data scraping operations, and information extraction.

Our team, comprising experienced journalists, researchers, and software engineers, is dedicated to our mission. With the support of organizations like OCCRP and IREX, we strive to make a meaningful impact in the fight against misinformation. Connect with us on our social media platforms to stay updated with our work.

Watchdog: Fighting for truth and public welfare