this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2025
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[–] yucandu@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

People who use lie detectors as a machine they think can detect lies are stupid.

The real purpose of the lie detector is to trick the suspect into thinking it can detect lies, to the point where they confess.

Ancient trick. The voodoo magic chicken. "This chicken can tell all lies from truth, and it says you are lying." Who doesn't believe in voodoo magic? So the thief, knowing the jig is up, confesses.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I mean. They're FBI agents....

They all have already had to take at least one to get in, even though they all would have looked into them first and know they don't work. That's still not as bad as the guy having to administer the tests who definitely knows it's bullshit.

It's my favorite example of what happens when we let politicians set rules to govern bureaucrats.

The only reason it's still given is no one high enough in the FBI to be listened to has managed to explain to a president why it's stupid.

A lot of our government is shit because high ranking bureaucrats are shitty are explaining things to idiots

[–] yucandu@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm Canadian so idk about FBI, but I do know a guy that became an RCMP officer, and he said they administered a polygraph, and he indicated everyone seemed to believe it was a real thing.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Isn't that just the police?

FBI almost always have a criminology or psychology degree and know way before applying to the FBI that the test doesn't work.

But the type of person to join the FBI would 100% Google it first and read studies. At least wikipedia.

Jocks go CIA, nerds go FBI.

It's not as true as it used to be, especially with so many new agencies over the last 20 years, but it's generally true.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 2 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

That’s weird, I would have thought the other way around. Jocks go fbi, nerds go cia. Or at least NSA.

But anyway, Patel should then also know better, so why bother polygraohing people?

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 3 points 22 hours ago

FBI has much stricter rules of engagement...

The CIA operates abroad and historically can do whatever they want including but not limited to full on government coups.

But yeah, since 9/11 we've got like 3x the security agencies. People can go anywhere now

[–] yucandu@lemmy.world 0 points 22 hours ago

The RCMP is the federal police that investigate federal crimes, like the FBI, and also do local policing for areas without a local police force.

Nowadays the nerds either go corporate or are too autistic to apply to anything.