A British bank is adding lie-detector software to its insurance-claims phone-lines to help detect fraudulent claims. Boy, this seems like a stupid idea to me, given the fact that lie-detectors essentially measure stress, not falsehood, and given that the disasters that create insurance claims and the vile treatment that insurance companies deliver to their customers who attempt to file claims are both terribly stressful.
Telephone lie detectors are used by only one other insurer – Lloyd's of London syndicate Highway Insurance – which has had the technology in place for more than a year.
The system, known as a "voice stress monitor" picks up speech patterns such as long pauses before answering questions.
(via FARK)
