Fake polling firm deceived media, says fabricated surveys were for ‘social experiment’

A fake polling operation named Wedgewood Polling has admitted to fabricating survey data that was aggregated by major media outlets—including The New York Times, FiftyPlusOne, and Decision Desk HQ—claiming the deception was a “social experiment” designed to expose weak media vetting standards, according to a report by ABC News4.

​The group stated on X that its unverified figures were given instant credibility across national news platforms, highlighting a breakdown in data verification. However, polling aggregators refuted claims of zero vetting, noting they had questioned the firm and received methodology statements prior to inclusion, only to discover the underlying data was entirely fraudulent. Both The New York Times and Decision Desk HQ have since purged dozens of Wedgewood’s surveys from their databases and election models.

​The admission triggered fierce condemnation from Democratic strategists and candidates whose races were directly disrupted by the fake numbers. Former Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow revealed that a fabricated June poll showing her support dropping led directly to dried-up campaign donations and devastated volunteers. Meanwhile, Federal Communications Commission officials warned that the surge in fake polls violates public interest standards, reminding federal broadcast license holders that engaging in news distortion or broadcast hoaxes carries legal liabilities.