Less than two weeks before Election Day, the nation’s top broadcast regulator is warning TV and radio stations about the polls they put on the air.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said Oct. 21, 2026, that broadcasters could violate the terms of their federal licenses by airing fake polls or polls designed to disrupt elections and sway voter behavior.
What did Brendan Carr say about fake polls?
In a post on X, Carr said there has been a significant surge this election season in what he called fake polls and suppression polls. He said they are meant to interfere with the electoral process and change normal patterns of voter turnout and enthusiasm.
He accused many journalists and broadcasters of amplifying such polls without following basic journalistic ethics and without telling the public that the polls lack a scientific or real basis.
Broadcasters are barred by their licenses from news distortion and broadcast hoaxes, Carr said, adding that the commission takes the issue seriously and that the country benefits when Americans can trust the media to report fairly and accurately. In his post, he did not name any specific polls, broadcasters or networks.
What led to the FCC warning?
The warning follows months of criticism of election polling from President Donald Trump, who in late August attacked what he called fake polls used by the media and criticized the moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press” over her description of his endorsement record.
In a Fox News interview in early September, Carr said Trump was on target and that the FCC was weighing several actions, including guidance reminding broadcasters not to air fake polls meant to suppress voters.
NBC News defended its moderator at the time, calling her one of the best in the business.
Concerns about bogus polling also grew after a small firm released a widely reported survey showing a Wisconsin Democrat with a large lead days before her party’s primary for governor. The firm later shut down after describing its work as a social experiment.
Can the FCC punish broadcasters over fake polls?
It would be difficult. The FCC regulates broadcast licenses for TV and radio stations, but it does not license cable networks or websites. Its rules on news content have historically been enforced rarely.
Proving news distortion requires clear evidence that a broadcaster intentionally tried to mislead the public, a very high legal bar, according to media law experts. The broadcast hoax rule generally applies to false reports of crimes or disasters that cause public harm.
Polls can also be wrong without being fake, critics note, and reporting on a legitimate poll that turns out to be inaccurate is not the same as spreading a hoax.
Why are critics concerned?
Press freedom advocates and Democrats argue that the warning could chill election coverage and pressure broadcasters to avoid polls that are unfavorable to the president’s party. They say the government should not police which polls journalists report.
Supporters of Carr’s approach say broadcasters use public airwaves and have a duty to avoid spreading misleading information that could affect turnout. They argue that clearly fabricated polls can mislead voters about the state of a race.
What does this mean for voters?
Voters may see more caution from broadcasters in how they present polls as stations try to avoid accusations of airing fake polls in the final stretch. Experts generally advise checking who conducted a poll, how many people were surveyed and how the questions were asked.
With the midterms set for Nov. 3, the fight over fake polls adds another layer to a tense debate over media, elections and government power.
