Making Economic Data Accessible: Economía para la Pipol on Datasketch’s Video Podcast
In a digital ecosystem saturated with data, opinions, and content generated at record speed, media outlets face the challenge of making information understandable and engaging without losing rigor, all while dealing with an audience that distrusts traditional media and turns to other types of content creators for their news.
In this context, Economía para la Pipol emerged, a Colombian media outlet created in 2021 with the goal of translating complex information into everyday language—without unnecessary graphics or academic jargon—to explain what economic data means in real life.
María Camila González, one of its founders, appeared on the Videopodcast Datasketch to discuss the intersection of data, technology, and journalism. Here is a summary of that conversation.
Language: Key to Connecting
One of the main challenges identified by Economía para la Pipol is language. Economics—like many other specialized fields—tends to be communicated in technical codes that exclude a large part of the citizenry.
For this reason, the outlet opted to incorporate informal, everyday language to explain different economic events and data through their social media channels, a format that has allowed them to connect with their audiences and translate complex information.
However, simplification is not without its risks. In a context where the internet and artificial intelligence multiply access to information, the problem is no longer just reaching the data, but knowing how to interpret it.
González warns that the speed and apparent authority of digital platforms can erode critical thinking: if something “is on the internet” or is answered by a chatbot, many people assume it is true. For journalism, this presents a central challenge: reaffirming its role as a filter, verifier, and mediator of information.
A Palpable Impact
Beyond its social media reach, the impact of Economía para la Pipol is reflected in the way its content activates public conversation and everyday learning. With over 200,000 followers on various platforms, the project has managed to get topics traditionally perceived as dry—such as fiscal policy, inflation, or tax reforms—discussed with arguments among people who previously felt excluded from that debate.
María Camila González highlights that one of the greatest achievements has been seeing how the audience not only consumes the information but also discusses, questions, and contrasts it.
The content usually generates dozens of comments in which people debate among themselves, exchanging viewpoints and putting what they have learned into practice. Beyond virality, this demonstrates that a part of the audience is taking ownership of the knowledge and that economics is ceasing to be a distant discourse.
Furthermore, professors and teachers have incorporated the content and the book produced by Economía para la Pipol as pedagogical aids to explain economic concepts in schools and other educational settings. Even in family environments, as González relates, the information shared by the project has strengthened people’s ability to identify disinformation, question political messages, and not just “swallow them whole” (accept them uncritically).
A few months ago, this outlet developed, in alliance with Datasketch, an AI-powered chatbot to answer the difficult questions people have about the economy and money in a clear and simple way. This project was developed within the framework of the JournalismAI Innovation Challenge with the support of the Google News Initiative.
You can explore it here.\
At Datasketch, we believe technology can be a powerful ally for journalism and for exploring new ways of understanding information. That’s why we invite you to create an account on Datasketch and explore all the tools we have available.
