WASHINGTON: Migrants, vaccines, paedophilia rings – old conspiracy theories are resurfacing ahead of the US election despite being repeatedly debunked, in what researchers call “zombie” falsehoods that appear to resonate with polarised voters.

Americans are deluged with misinformation about political hot-button issues that observers say have the potential to sway voters in the widely anticipated rematch between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump in November.

That includes misinformation that is recycled online despite being repeatedly knocked down by fact-checkers in what seems like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole.