In the aftermath of the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Americans' attention was captivated not only by the political showdown but also by a surge in false social media claims concerning migrants. The latest findings from CNN's polling project, The Breakthrough, revealed that this false narrative regarding migrants quickly gained national prominence following the debate held on September 10.

According to the recent survey conducted by SSRS and Verasight on behalf of CNN, Georgetown University, and the University of Michigan from September 13-16, over half of what respondents recalled hearing about Harris, and 42% of the information about Trump, centered around the presidential debate. This shift in focus marked a significant change from the prior week, where no single topic occupied more than a third of the conversation regarding either candidate.

The survey data indicated that sentiments towards the candidates shifted post-debate, with positive discussions about Harris seeing an uptick, contrasting with the more negative trend observed in conversations about Trump. Notably, this change in sentiment was magnified compared to previous assessments, underlining the impact of the debate on public perception of the candidates. The responses reflected varying views on the candidates' performances, with some praising Harris's debating skills while others criticized what they perceived as biased moderation of the event.