Anonymous8,

[You ask]
“Do you think it could be banned in say 5-10 years or more like 10-20 years?  “

With regard to how long it may be before polygraph testing will be banned… I don’t think anyone truly knows the answer to this question. Polygraph testing has already claimed countless innocent victims, and will undoubtedly, claim many more in addition before change is brought about. 

[You ask]
“If so, what is currently being done to bring about this needed change?”

Antipolygraph.org is a prime example of what’s being done to try and stop polygraph testing. Also, I suggest you reference the “get involved” link http://www.antipolygraph.org/get.shtml also found on the home page of this website.


To help put a stop to polygraph testing, become pro-active, get involved; write letters to your Congressman, Senators, etc. Needed change does not come easily, or without action on the part of many others. 

If you have not already done so, I recommend downloading for free, and reading “TLBTLD”. 

Knowledge is power; educate yourself on the things you question. 


Respectfully,
Triple x

Wondering44,

Thanks for your support and for sharing your thoughts on this. With regard to a ballot initiative for the banning of pre-employment polygraph screening, this is something that cannot be done at the national level: the U.S. Constitution does not provide for such initiatives, as do some states, like California. At the federal level, the ideal solution would be for Congress to pass, and the president to sign, a Comprehensive Employee Polygraph Protection Act that would ban all employment-related use of "lie detectors."

In addition, the president could end polygraph screening at the federal level by executive order. Toward that end, AntiPolygraph.org is sponsoring an on-line petition to President Bush.

An important part of any strategy for the elimination of polygraph screening is to demythologize the polygraph. The public needs to be informed about polygraphy, and this website was created with that purpose in mind. You might consider helping to publicize the polygraph issue by participating in AntiPolygraph.org's Campus Poster Initiative. Although this initiative was started primarily with college campuses in mind, there are many other venues where such posters might be appropriate. The poster campaign seems to have been having a significant impact, as visits to the site have increased considerably since it began.

Wondering44

The only way you will ever see a ballot to ban the polygraph is if the political community is somehow forced to pass one in order to assume or keep their office. If this was to happen, you would see the polygraph disappear over night. I don't believe very many, if any, could pass one given the questions asked in Wild Bill's letter in the Reading Room of this site.

Why don't you send a copy of this letter to your Congressional office holders, both state and federal, along with your own statements concerning this issue?

I am personally against the use of a polygraph for pre-employment reasons.  I have read a lot of peoples' stories about how they failed the lie detector even though they told the truth, thus making them a false positive.  I really feel for all the people who have gone through this.  Hopefully the polygraph for pre-employment will be banned at all levels.  I wonder if there could be a ballot on this issue for the next election for it to be banned, but I don't know if it will ever happen?  What are everyone's thoughts?  What has to happen in the next 5-10 years or more?

Quote:


There is no way to speculate on something like this. The main problem we face is that polygraph screening (which includes employment related testing) affects the lives of very few people right now (as the use of it by most employers was banned in 1998). Still, I believe polygraph screening can and will be abolished. The key will be to educate people about the trickery behind these "tests" and their inherent unreliability.

Quote:


AntiPolygraph.org was founded with the goal of abolishing all polygraphy, especially polygraph screening.

Some of our activities include:

- Exposing the trickery and fraud behind polygraphy.
- A letter writing campaign to elected officials requesting a Comprehensive Polygraph Protection.
- Numerous FOIA requests 
- The Campus Poster Initiative

If you want to see polygraphy abolished, check out the "Get Involved" page on this site to see how you can help.

Do you think it could be banned in say 5-10 years or more like 10-20 years?  Are there efforts being made to stop pre-employment polygraphing?  If so, what is currently being done to bring about this needed change?

Dear Seeker,

I recently posted a “hypothetical” question comparative to this post. I categorically share the same opinion as you here; in that it will take many fallen victims of unfair/unethical pre-employment polygraph testing to bring about change in this area.

That being said, I further believe the public will eventually demand a change in pre-employment polygraph testing if they really knew what goes on “behind the curtain” of pre-employment polygraph testing. 

Education and public awareness is “key” in bringing about change.

With the forthcoming future elections in mind, I feel that it is important to get the word out and educate the public and politicians alike of the trickery, deceit, frailties, and fallacies of polygraph testing.

In my opinion, polygraph testing is unreliable and is vulnerable to polygraph countermeasures as described in “TLBTLD”.


Respectfully,
Triple_x

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Anon:
I have to say that pre-employment polygraph testing will in fact eventually be banned.  The wheels of justice turn every so slowly, but they do turn.   
How long will it take?  Who is to know for certain?  I think that when too many desirable and qualified applicants become unavailable due to being DQ'd on poly results, a more serious look will be take at the poly.  I also think that when the public at large become more aware of the devastation the polygraph has had on so many innocent lives, they too will begin to rise up and cry for reform.   
Unfortunately, it takes victims, and often times an incredible amount of victims, to have an arbitrary and useless practice banned.
Regards,

Quote:


That's a very good question, Anon.  No one knows, though we're working to get it banned; there are entrenched interests to overcome.

The National Academy of Sciences recently released a comprehensive review of polygraphy and polygraph screening, concluding that screening is entirely inadequate and should be abolished.  I don't know if the DoE (the folks who requested the study) have taken the results to heart; we'll have to see.

I rather think that it will eventually go away, much like we no longer torture people accused of a crime.  Society evolves, in some ways faster than others.

Skeptic

My question is to anyone who follows this site.
Will pre-employment polygraph tests ever be banned?
If so, what will it take, and how long will it be?