NEW YORK, October 26, 2020.— According to a new SurveyUSA poll released today by the global campaigning group Avaaz, 65% of registered US voters reported seeing political disinformation in their Facebook feeds and 25% reported believing these false claims.

The study looked at top trending election-related misinformation, examining whether registered voters nationwide and in nine swing states saw the claims, if they believed them and where they were exposed to them. The data reflects most poorly on Facebook as a trustworthy source of information with an average of 50% of voters saying they have seen false claims most often on the platform.

Topline poll findings:

• 85% of registered voters nationwide were exposed to misinformation stating that “Mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud.” 35% believed it to be true, and 68% of those who saw it did so on Facebook.
• 48% of registered voters saw the false claim that “Joe Biden is a pedophile”, with 19% believing it to be true and 64% of those exposed seeing it on Facebook.
• 74% of registered voters were exposed to the claim that Joe Biden plans to “defund the police”, with 32% accepting it as fact and 58% reporting seeing it on Facebook.
• 63% of registered voters saw that “Donald Trump will end social security if he is re-elected”, with 27% believing it to be true and 65% of those who came across the claim seeing it on Facebook.
• 53'% of registered voters read that “George Floyd died from an overdose of drugs” (that he was not killed by the police) with 18% believing this to be true. 65% of respondents who saw the claim reported seeing it on Facebook.
• 84% of registered voters reported being concerned or very concerned that social media is being used to spread false information to intentionally influence the outcome of America’s elections. 
• Belief was similar across age, gender, race, education, and income but showed significant disparities between political affiliation and ideology.

Fadi Quran, Avaaz Campaign Director, said: “We commissioned a series of polls because our team wanted to know just how many voters are seeing and believing the false claims going viral on social media right now. The answer chilled me to my core. As they cast their ballots for president, voters are swimming in lies. There is a democratic emergency happening in America right now, and Facebook is at the center of it.”

SurveyUSA conducted a nationwide poll  between 14-19 October, interviewing 3,301 registered voters. All questionnaires were identical and polling was conducted with a representative cross-section of Americans based on gender, age, race, education, and home-ownership. Additionally, SurveyUSA conducted separate polls in the swing states of Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (interviewing 1,000 registered voters in each state), showing that:

• In North Carolina, 41% of voters believe the claim that Joe Biden wants to 'defund' the police.
• In Wisconsin, 36% of voters believe that Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class.
• In Arizona, 35% of voters believe with the claim that “if the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”.
• In Florida, 30% of voters believe in the claim that Donald Trump will end social security if he is re-elected”.
• In Georgia, 28% of voters believe in the claim that “Hollywood and democratic elites routinely engage in sex trafficking and pedophilia”.

“We’ve heard a lot about Facebook’s misinformation problems, but much less about the solutions. So let me be clear, the platform can take actions right now that could protect the American people. Facebook can urgently downgrade the super spreader pages reaching millions with misinformation and they can show corrections to everyone exposed to these lies, and according to this poll that’s exactly what voters want the platform to do,” concluded Quran.

The survey also showed that:

• 65% of voters say until the election is determined Facebook should provide corrections to users exposed to misinformation that attempts to confuse voters. 
• 63% say Facebook should "downgrade" repeat misinformers who target American voters.

1. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 77'% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 36% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 66% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
2. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more” 
   1. 81% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 36% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 68% of those who have seen this claim, have seen it on Facebook.
3. “Hollywood and democratic elites routinely engage in sex trafficking and pedophilia” 
   1. 63% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 22% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 68% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
4. “Antifa activists started some of the wildfires in Oregon and Washington state”
   1. 43% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 18% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 64% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

GEORGIA (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Hollywood and democratic elites routinely engage in sex trafficking and pedophilia”
   1. 62% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 28% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 67% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
2. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 80% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 36% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 68% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
3. “Antifa activists started some of the wildfires in Oregon and Washington state”
   1. 40% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 18% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 61% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

FLORIDA (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Donald Trump will end social security if he is re-elected”
   1. 69% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 30% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 67% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
2. “Joe Biden wants to 'defund' the police”
   1. 82'% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 37% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 59% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
3. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 78'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 39% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 65% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
4. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 81% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 35% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 63% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

MICHIGAN (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Jacob Blake, shot by police in Kenosha, once raped a 14-year-old”
   1. 39% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 17% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 71% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
2. “Kyle Rittenhouse had a violent criminal history before the shootings in Kenosha”
   1. 38% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 19% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 74% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
3. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 79% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 31% of them think the claim is true.
   3. 64% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

NORTH CAROLINA (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Joe Biden wants to 'defund' the police”
   1. 83'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 41% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 65% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
2. “Hollywood and democratic elites routinely engage in sex trafficking, pedophilia”
   1. 61% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 26% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 67% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
3. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 77'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 41% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 64% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
4. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 80'% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 40% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 66% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
5. “Joe Biden is a pedophile”
   1. 49'% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 19% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 70% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

ARIZONA (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Joe Biden wants to 'defund' the police”
   1. 85'% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 36% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 56% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
2. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 78'% of registered voters have seen this claim. 
   2. 38% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 59% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
3. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 80% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 35% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 58% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
4. “Antifa activists started some of the wildfires in Oregon and Washington state”
   1. 43'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 18% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 54% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.

WISCONSIN (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Jacob Blake, shot by police in Kenosha, once raped a 14-year-old”
   1. 51% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 23% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 69% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
2. “Kyle Rittenhouse has a violent criminal history before the shootings in Kenosha” 
   1. 38% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 14% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 69% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
3. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 80'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 36% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 67% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
4. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 86% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 30% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 70% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

MINNESOTA (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Jacob Blake, shot by police in Kenosha, once raped at 14-year-old”
   1. 37% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 17% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 64% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
2. “Kyle Rittenhouse has a violent criminal history before the shootings in Kenosha”
   1. 37% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 15% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 58% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
3. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 71'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 30% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 62% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
4. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 83% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 34% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 61% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 

COLORADO (FULL SURVEY HERE)

1. “Antifa activists started some of the wildfires in Oregon and Washington state”
   1. 44'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 16% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 65% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook. 
2. “Joe Biden plans to raise taxes on the middle class”
   1. 68'% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 31% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 64% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.
3. “If the number of COVID cases has increased, it's only because we are testing more”
   1. 81% of registered voters have seen this claim.
   2. 28% of them believe the claim is true.
   3. 67% of those exposed saw the claim on Facebook.