Kit knocks another one out of the park with this
Elicitation: Is It Happening to You?
Something we don’t talk about often enough–and we should–is the concept of elicitation, or the process of getting someone to tell you information without them realizing they’re giving it to you. The biggest problem with it is simple: It’s getting done TO us a lot more than we’re doing it to anyone else. That needs to change.
There are several ways to elicit information from someone, and they range from the blatantly obvious instant gratification type to the completely sneaky, long-game, over time version. You should be familiar with both–especially because the folks with the .gov after their name have all kinds of time to do it. Let’s take a closer look.Why Does Elicitation Work?
The beauty of elicitation is that it isn’t some kind of magic. It’s simply leveraging and exploiting facets of people’s personality, and the basic things that exist in human nature. In our quest to learn from everyone, and not just the people we like, we’re going to look at the FBI’s page on elicitation (I refuse to link to it, however. You can find it yourself). Here’s a list of traits that the FBI likes to exploit:
There are several ways to elicit information from someone, and they range from the blatantly obvious instant gratification type to the completely sneaky, long-game, over time version. You should be familiar with both–especially because the folks with the .gov after their name have all kinds of time to do it. Let’s take a closer look.Why Does Elicitation Work?
The beauty of elicitation is that it isn’t some kind of magic. It’s simply leveraging and exploiting facets of people’s personality, and the basic things that exist in human nature. In our quest to learn from everyone, and not just the people we like, we’re going to look at the FBI’s page on elicitation (I refuse to link to it, however. You can find it yourself). Here’s a list of traits that the FBI likes to exploit:
- A desire to be polite and helpful, even to strangers or new acquaintances
- A desire to appear well informed, especially about our profession
- A desire to feel appreciated and believe we are contributing to something important
- A tendency to expand on a topic when given praise or encouragement; to show off
- A tendency to gossip
- A tendency to correct others
- A tendency to underestimate the value of the information being sought or given, especially if we are unfamiliar with how else that information could be used
- A tendency to believe others are honest; a disinclination to be suspicious of others
- A tendency to answer truthfully when asked an “honest” question
- A desire to convert someone to our opinion
Go click on the link to learn more how to identify and combat it (and send some site traffic her way). While you are there, check out the Lessons for Vetting post too.
14 comments:
I could be wrong, but I believe this is a problem that has come about more with younger people who have grown up in the age of Facebook. It's narcissism at it's finest. As if anyone really cares about you, your beliefs or your family outing to Yosemite last month. It seems to me that people with big mouths have an overwhelming desire to be wanted or loved. Growing up in Brooklyn in the 60's and 70's pretty much everyone went to the "Sgt. Schultz School of knowledge" - meaning "I know nothing!". A conversation then would have looked more like this - Elicitor: "What ever happened to that guy you had the fight in the bar with last summer?" .. Target: "What fight?" Elicitor: "You know, the one where that dude busted a bottle upside your head." Target: "Oh, that guy. I don't know. Nobody's seen him around for a long time." (Of course the Target knows where he is, because he's the one who buried him in the woods well outside of the city). Nowadays we have idiots making videos of who they beat-down and posting it on their Facebook page... So my motto is this: thinking of Jefferson Airplane's "Don't you want somebody to love" my answer is - "NO!" "Wouldn't you want somebody to love?" Answer - "Don't need 'em".. When people start asking questions, something is wrong! When the new guy on the block starts talking about building bombs, something is wrong! And if you suspect a someone among you is a loudmouth windbag, then tell him as little as possible about anything and everything...And if you are certain someone is fishing for nefarious reasons and has lodged himself among you, well then, remember the "Target" guy written above: "Oh, we haven't seen that guy around in a long time"...
That's really good information. I can imagine this is standard training for any FedGuv LEO that might be questioning you.
I have appropriately bookmarked White Rose's essay for future reference.
In Clinton Case, Obama Administration Nullifies 6 Criminal Laws
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-07-05/clinton-case-obama-administration-nullifies-6-criminal-laws
SPOT ON SGT Mike! A very time post for the very very dark days coming. these are going to be ESSENTIAL skills soon for anyone who wishes to survive Obamas deliberate Race War that is on the very near horizon. Pay attention folks, your lives depends on this.
Sign Me, Neal Jensen
When The Rule of Law No Longer Matters, It’s Time To Gun Up
I am ashamed that we let our nation deteriorate to the point that the powerful will not be prosecuted when they clearly broke federal laws, and that both parties in Congress are seriously arguing that normal, law-abiding citizens should be stripped of their core constitutional rights on the whims of government officials.
I would strongly advise that my fellow citizens arm themselves with a rifle of contemporary military utility, the necessary accouterments of a modern militia, at least a case (1,000 rounds) of ammunition, and seek out the best training you can obtain.
If they have designs on your liberty, sell it to them dearly.
When corruption reigns, revolution follows.
http://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2016/07/05/rule-law-longer-matters-time-gun/
You Owe Them Nothing - Not Respect, Not Loyalty, Not Obedience
Sometimes in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. It is high time to declare our personal independence from any remnant of obligation to those who have spit upon the rule of law. We owe them nothing - not respect, not loyalty, not obedience.
Think about it. If you are out driving at 3 a.m., do you stop at a stop sign when there’s no one coming? Of course you do. You don’t need a cop to be there to make you stop. You do it voluntarily because this is America and America is a country where obeying the law is the right thing to do because the law was justly made and is justly applied. Or it used to be.
We make it easy for them by going along. We make it simple by defaulting to the old rules. But there are no rules anymore, certainly none that morally bind us once we are outside the presence of some government worker with a gun to force our compliance. There is only will and power and we must rediscover our own. If there is no cop sitting right there, then there is nothing to make you stop at that stop sign tonight.
They don’t realize that by rejecting the rule of law, they have set us free. We are independent. We owe them nothing - not respect, not loyalty, not obedience. But with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we will still mutually pledge those who have earned our loyalty with their adherence to the rule of law, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
http://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2016/07/04/you-owe-them-nothing--not-respect-not-loyalty-not-obedience-n2186865
This one reminded me a lot of my work.
I work for a company who operates under rules established by the FDA. As such, the FDA can make surprise visits and pull our paperwork, or ask to see our processes at any time day or night. And they can visit with any employee from CEO to the janitor. Everyone in the company is taught three basic rules to handling FDA enforcers....
Speak only when spoken to
Answer yes or no, only
If you don't know the answer, don't talk or guess, find someone who does.
The bottom line is, do not give out more info than is necessary, silence is awkward for humans we think we need to be chatty. The FDA relies on these human natures as well as the ones mentioned above to entrap or learn more to which they can keep picking. I didn't know what they do was called elicitation, but I do now. Thanks for this one
TheBohunk
Iowa
TheBohunk is correct on the FA inspections. I worked in a field for almost 10 years where we were under FDA's watchful eyes.
As to the topic of elicitation, this concept comes up in cyber security as well. It's called social engineering and is the biggest weakness of nearly all companies using a computer network. People need to learn to thoroughly vet any contact attempting to gain physical access or access to information. And they will go to great lengths to get that info/access.
Most workers, even big-wig CEOs, are either intimidated or sweet-talked into giving up seemingly innocent information. This information adds up and before you know it accounts are hijacked and databases are either stolen or eliminated.
Cops do this as well...most call it a fishing expedition...asking questions to get you to answer in a way to trigger a search or arrest.
QUESTION AND SUSPECT EVERYONE. LEARN TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.
Answering one question to the wrong person can bring your world crashing down.
My prayers are with you, Mike, as are the prayers of millions more. May the Lord heal you as He sees fit and give you the strength to carry on! You mean more to us than you'll ever know!
Common sense. Learned early on in elementary school not to put into writing, anything that you would not want others to see. As for the elicitation, just remember what anyone with a clearance can tell you: Do You/They Have A Need To Know? and at what level.
I'll always obey the commonsense rules of gun safety regardless of what legislators say. I treat every firearm like it's loaded unless I can visually confirm that the chamber is empty, I'll always keep the barrel pointed in a direction I don't mind sending a bullet, I'll keep my finger off the trigger until I know exactly where I definitely want to put a bullet and have a fair idea of the trajectory it's going to take. Keeping in mind that there are situations where you want to put bullets pretty much everywhere except in yourself and company.
Not 'cause someone said so', but because it's foolish to do otherwise. Likewise, when I see an indication that I'm approaching a blind intersection, I'll slow down and check for perpendicular traffic. If that indication is a stop sign placed there by an agency that I regard as having no particular legitimate authority, I'll take into consideration whether it might be some kind of trick or deception to get me to stop when I really shouldn't. And if that is really significantly likely, I might blow through it or detour around.
A country with a strong rule of law understands that the function of the legislator is to codify and clearly express such commonsense for the benefit of the expectations of everyone. It is not because the people are law-abiding but because the laws are people-abiding.
Social media is the best thing to happen to anyone wanting to employ illicitation since sliced bread. All one needs do is take a 5 minute look at all the 'me, me, me!' photos and posts to verify.
Then, that's translated to circular arguments in the blogosphere on any given subject. Especially in the so-called, 'liberty' and 'preparedness' movements. The EEFI that's dropped on an hourly basis is enough to keep any analyst wanting to know something about anyone busy putting together the puzzle pieces.
Technology has been a two-edged sword, and most folks use both edges to 'cut' themselves INFOSEC wise.
My .02
Martin with Forward Observer actually does a class that involves in teaching Elicitation so you know what methods are used to accomplish it and how to defend against it. The class is called Team Security and Vetting.
Domino and I keep our shit wired tight.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go shovel up some tightly wired material.
Bill and Domino
III
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