Good Point
Why is it wrong for Wal Mart to use it but okay for big brother. HMMMMM...
A very good point indeed. The 1988 Employee Polygraph Protection Act was passed primarily because of the tremendous error rates with polygraphs and the abusive nature of the process.
Unfortunately, the government exempted itself from this legislation. National security types argued that they should be allowed to keep the polygraph not because it is accurate, but because it produces admissions (the only utility of the polygraph is as an interrogation prop). Those who "fail" are considered acceptable losses (despite the irreparable damage to their reputations).
Until a new comprehensive polygraph protection act is passed (with the government loopholes are removed), those being forced to submit to this fraud (odds of failing when truthful are substantially greater than taking the bullet in Russian Roulette) may wish to employ countermeasures to protect themselves from a "false positive" outcome. These same techniques can be used be a liar to pass the "tests."
MDD, if your “test” is a long way away, you should feel confident that you can “pass” it should you choose to do so. In a peer-reviewed study, 50% of college students were able to defeat experienced polygraph examiners after only
one half-hour of training which consisted of simply being read instructions by a graduate student.
The
AntiPolygraph.org site is non-profit, and explains exactly how to defeat the test at no cost. It also explains the trickery behind polygraphy. You may be shocked to learn that the explanations provided by the polygrapher both before, during, and after the "test" are intentional false and misleading.
Tidbit of the day: One can become a polygraph examiner after an 8 week course for which there is no firm education pre-requisite. Even barber college is 26-weeks long.