THE APEX TIMES
Polling firm Median Strategies says its election survey data was fabricated as a “social experiment” and closes
Fox News reports Median Strategies admitted its polling results related to the Los Angeles mayoral race and Wisconsin primary were fabricated, and the firm has shut down following the disclosure.
A polling firm identified by Fox News as Median Strategies has closed after admitting that it fabricated polling results in connection with the Los Angeles mayoral race and Wisconsin primary, according to the report published August 18, 2026.
Fox News said the company acknowledged that the surveys were not real measures of voter sentiment, but were instead described internally as a “social experiment.” The report frames the disclosure as raising questions about how the fabricated results were handled and circulated during the relevant election periods.
The Fox News report characterizes the firm as “mysterious” and says it published or promoted survey findings tied to political contests including Los Angeles mayoral campaigning and a Wisconsin primary. It does not identify the full scope of distribution in public outlets, but it describes an outcome in which the firm’s continued operations ended after the admission.
According to the Fox News account, Median Strategies’ closure followed its acknowledgment that the polls were fabricated. The report indicates the company’s end-of-operations decision came after the admission, rather than after a court order or regulator action.
The practical impact of the episode extends beyond the individual races mentioned in the report, because fabricated polling can affect how voters, campaigns, and media portray the political environment during election cycles. In particular, the use of poll-like figures can shape public expectations about likely outcomes and intensify demand for verification, even when the underlying numbers were not produced through standard methodology.
No official regulator action or court filings were included in the supplied reporting summary, and there are no additional primary documents in the provided materials. As a result, the factual record for enforcement, potential legal exposure, or any consumer-protection or election-administration proceedings cannot be confirmed from the information available here.
If additional documentation emerges, such as statements from the firm, retraction notices tied to specific published polling outputs, or inquiries by election authorities, those materials would be needed to establish what results were circulated, when, and who distributed them. For now, the available record centers on the firm’s stated description and closure following that admission, as reported by Fox News.
Why It Matters
- Fabricated polling results can mislead voters and distort the public information environment during election cycles, prompting demands for transparency and verification.
- The episode highlights the need for scrutiny of poll methodology and the provenance of survey data, especially when poll results are treated as evidence of voter sentiment.
- Because fabricated numbers may be disseminated by third parties, determining distribution timelines can be central to assessing potential harms and responsibilities.
- The lack of confirmed official enforcement steps in the available record means next developments would likely depend on additional filings, retractions, or inquiries by election, consumer-protection, or data-integrity authorities.
Key Facts
- Fox News reported that the polling firm Median Strategies has closed after admitting its election-related surveys were fabricated.
- The report says the fabricated polling was connected to the Los Angeles mayoral race.
- The report says the fabricated polling was also connected to a Wisconsin primary.
- Fox News reported that the firm described the fabrication as a “social experiment.”
- The supplied materials did not include any court order, regulator filing, or official enforcement action beyond the company’s reported admission and closure.