Fake Pollster Earlier Said ‘We Encourage Reporters to Ask Us Any Questions’
Wedgewood said it fabricated most of its releases as an experiment after FiftyPlusOne found irregularities in raw survey data and confronted the firm.
- On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Wedgewood Polls admitted that most of its survey data was fabricated, describing itself as an "experimental project" designed to test industry vulnerabilities.
- Election analysis website FiftyPlusOne launched an investigation earlier this week after discovering irregularities in raw survey data, prompting Wedgewood to acknowledge the deception.
- State Senator Mallory McMorrow said the fabricated polling "killed" her campaign, reporting that donations dried up and volunteers were devastated by the false data.
- The New York Times removed 15 surveys from its tracker database, while Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr urged media not to amplify such hoaxes.
- Experts warn that sophisticated AI tools enable such fakery, as American Association for Public Opinion Research president Mary Losch urged the public not to conflate fraudulent activity with legitimate polling.
81 Articles
81 Articles
Mallory McMorrow blames fake poll for collapse of her Senate campaign
Fake Pollster Wedgewood Admits to Fabricating Midterm Election Data Cited by NYT and Decision Desk
Conservatives have watched polling numbers flash across their screens for years and felt something was off. The margins never matched the mood on the ground....
'Fake' pollsters hit US midterms
The case involving the firm Wedgewood Polls threatens to erode trust in independent pollsters in an already hyperpolarized political climate, particularly as political pundits voice concern that fast-evolving AI tools are making it easier to fabricate results. The case came to light earlier this week after polling aggregator FiftyPlusOne contacted Wedgewood as part of an investigation into the firm's surveys. Wedgewood responded with a statement…
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