Overview
- On Wednesday, Brendan Carr posted on X that many broadcasters have been amplifying “fake polls” and reminded stations that airing such material could violate license rules on news distortion and broadcast hoaxes.
- The statement came after Wedgewood Polling publicly admitted it fabricated results that had been cited in poll aggregates, exposing gaps in how some outlets and trackers vet new pollsters.
- Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez immediately rebuked Carr, saying pollsters who mislead should be held to account but broadcasters that report publicly available polling in good faith should not be punished.
- Federal law gives the FCC narrow power: enforcement for news distortion requires proof of deliberate falsification, and the broadcast-hoax rule applies only to knowingly false reports about crimes or catastrophes that foreseeably cause public harm.
- Legal and free‑speech experts warn Carr’s public warning could chill election coverage and would likely face court challenge if the FCC tried to sanction broadcasters, while outlets are reviewing vetting practices for poll inclusion.