Put Politicians to the Test
By Jared Nielsen, Marketing —
Politicians over the years have developed a reputation for occasionally lying. This problem has led to the creation of websites solely dedicated to fact checking politicians’ claims—websites such as factcheck.org and politifact.com come to mind. While these websites can crosscheck claims for validity, they can’t crosscheck the politician’s mind, where the whole truth is stored. In many instances, political lies are small and seemingly harmless, but sometimes politicians find themselves tangled in serious controversies due to lying. So what if you could see through all the politicking that surrounds every political decision and unweave the tangled lies that surround government scandals?
Lying and Scandals
In recent news, Guatemala is dealing with a fallout of scandals during the four month wait time for a new president to be elected. The former president, Otto Perez Molina, and his former vice president, Roxanna Baldetti, recently resigned from their positions just prior to Molina’s trial for suspected involvement in a bribery scandal. The scandal, dubbed “La Linea,” is a long-running corruption scandal where importers pay bribes to avoid paying customs duties. This is the culmination of a movement that has been happening in Guatemala for months; protesters have filled the streets calling for honesty in the nation’s politics. This is not just a national issue either: disillusioned voters are filling the streets in Brazil and Chile over similar large-scale corruption scandals. All of Latin America is facing real blowback from its inhabitants because they have grown weary of the constant corruption.
As you can imagine, the next round of presidential candidates faces the monumental challenge of convincing the nation’s citizens that they are trustworthy. During election season, it’s easy for candidates to take stabs at other candidates, undercutting their credibility and intentions in an effort to prove the opponents are not trustworthy. However, this behavior does little to appease disgruntled voters and does not lend itself to creating an environment of trust. Without practical solutions, the same problems inevitably arise time and time again.
Detecting Lies Can Appease Voters
Politicians embroiled in serious scandals such as accusations of corruption could undergo a lie detection test via EyeDetect, a lie detecting technology, to get to the heart of the truth in scandals. Despite any reputation for being great liars, those tested can’t control involuntary eye movements that reveal when lies are being told. Not only could this technology be used at the tail end of scandals like those in Guatemala, but it could also detect if candidates for government office have unsavory connections before they ever get elected.