When bad guys capture you, instead of torture, they should just have someone charming take you out for drinks.

Man that would be terrible. I sure hope no one attractive comes to me to try and pry my many many government secrets out of me with affection and attention. I have so many government secrets and am very easily persuaded with flirtation and intimacy. Soooo many government secrets

Yeah, the military has to hold regular “you’re not as attractive as you think you are. Know your fucking number” meetings with the people who have security clearance. Basically, they have to be blunt, and straight up tell the people with clearance “you’re a grey and wrinkly old man who smells like wet beef. At the bar after work, you’re a 3. Maybe a 3.5 if you bothered to shower before getting to the bar. If a solid California 10 strikes up a conversation with you at the bar and seems really interested in your work, it’s because she’s a spy.”

They have to hold these meetings because honeypotting is so fucking effective on the sad sacks who have clearance.

I wish I had secrets worthy of being honey potted for. Best I get is 2 dudes on a motorcycle stealing my phone and threatening me to unlock it

Mona Lisa by lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar

Torture has proven effective, but only before the torture actually starts. Basically, the victim is more likely to divulge good information when they’re anticipating the torture, as an attempt to get out of it. Basically, before the torture, there is still some level of rapport between the victim and the torturer. But once the torture starts, the rapport is gone and the victim will harden themselves and refuse, or intentionally give bad info. Or they will simply say whatever they think the torturer wants to hear to attempt to stop the torture, regardless of whether or not it’s accurate.

Basically, the only time the torturer has any actual trust in the info is when the victim is trying to delay/avoid the torture. Once it starts, the torturer can’t actually trust anything the victim says. If getting info was actually the goal, the torturer could simply start prepping for the torture and never actually start it. Essentially, keep the victim in that initial “if I keep talking I can avoid the torture” phase.

That's a much longer term strategy, and it's very effective. But it's very rough on the spy. Just ask Melania.

Nah they really mess with you. You're tortured most of the time except those times they clean you up, get you tipsy and send you with the honey pot. Rinse and repeat everyday until one of the methods breaks you or the honey pot falls for you for real and plans an escape.