Online Lie Detector: How to Tell a Real Test from a Joke App
A search for “online lie detector” returns both scientific technology and party games. Sometimes they look the same. Here is how not to get it wrong.
What a joke app is
“Place your finger on the screen”, “speak into the microphone”, “3-second voice scan”. All of this is entertainment: the result is random or pre-programmed. None of them has published any research, because there is nothing to research.
What a real online test is
VerifEye by Converus, the same company that developed EyeDetect. The smartphone's front camera records the pupil, eye movements and response times while the person reads statements. The algorithm is the same as in the office test, with 84–89% accuracy according to University of Utah studies. The test is ordered through a certified partner, not downloaded from an app store.
Five signs of a real test
Check before you pay.
- There is a manufacturer with scientific publications and patents, not an anonymous developer.
- The test is run by a certified examiner, not by the app itself: the examiner words the questions and explains the report.
- The questions are specific, about facts over a period, not “are you lying”.
- There are requirements for the conditions: a quiet room, lighting, a phone stand. Joke apps work anywhere.
- A report with scores on each question and an explanation, not “Lie 73%” across the whole screen.
What the online test cannot do
It does not work from a laptop, it is not suitable for people with strong glasses, it is not evidence in court, and it does not check more than three topics at a time. For investigations involving large sums we recommend EyeDetect in our Lviv office.
What it costs
VerifEye through us: UAH 2,500 for one question, UAH 4,000 for three. A PDF report in 20 minutes, from any city or country with no extra charges.