An anonymous website called Median Strategies that published polling data across multiple states was revealed to be operated by Rahil Prakash, a 21-year-old recent college graduate. The site abruptly ceased operations and retracted its polling earlier this week after questions from a Los Angeles Times reporter.
In a statement, Median Strategies characterized the effort as a “short-term social experiment” designed to test whether fabricated polling could circulate through the political information ecosystem without verification. Prakash confirmed to the Guardian that he sought to determine if fake polls could penetrate the system easily, expressing surprise at how quickly the information spread through California political media.
The fake polls gained traction in multiple races. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass cited Median polling data showing her leading her challenger by more than 10 percentage points. The California Post also reported on the poll. A widely followed polling aggregator on X shared the Nevada poll, though several established polling organizations declined to aggregate Median’s data citing an inability to verify its methodology. In Wisconsin, the fake polling suggested Democratic primary candidate Francesca Hong led the race by over 20 percentage points; Hong subsequently lost the primary. A Nevada poll showed Governor Joe Lombardo ahead by five points.
Prakash said he was inspired to conduct the experiment after observing significant polling discrepancies in a Michigan Senate primary. He stated he created the website using artificial intelligence and worked alone on the project. He denied receiving compensation or trading on prediction markets related to the fake data. The American Association of Political Consultants condemned the effort, characterizing it as deception directed at voters, press, and campaigns rather than legitimate research.
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