Election polling rocked by a new fake data scandal

A self-described polling firm whose data was tracked by larger pollsters, news outlets and campaigns says all but one of its polls were fabricated.Why it matters: It's at least the second instance of a polling operation acknowledging fabricated data this election cycle, raising concerns about confidence in legitimate pollsters as AI tools make fake results easier to produce.Driving the news: Polling aggregator FiftyPlusOne investigated data from the firm, Wedgewood, and identified multiple irregularities. FiftyPlusOne had contacted the firm months earlier and received information about their leaders. One of the names Wedgewood identified as a leader of the firm matched that of an individual whom FiftyPlusOne confirmed had prior experience in the polling industry.When Wedgewood was asked about the data discrepancies, FiftyPlusOne screenshotted the reply: "F--k you."Soon after, Wedgewood posted a statement on X saying it "wanted to test" whether an "entirely fabricated polling firm" could "gain traction." It said it had no real data behind the vast majority of its releases, but maintained that one crowdfunded Nebraska poll was legitimate.The big picture: The scheme is reminiscent of…

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