So does torture actually work for getting information? Basically, no. The effectiveness of torture as a means of extracting reliable information is widely debated and contested. Ethically and legally, torture is considered inhumane and is prohibited under international law, including the United Nations Convention Against Torture. While some proponents of torture argue that it can be effective in obtaining valuable information, the overwhelming consensus among experts, including intelligence agencies and human rights organizations, is that torture is not a reliable or effective method for gathering accurate information. There are several reasons for this including getting false or unreliable information, it can cause memory and cognitive impairment, it can lead to confirmation bias, and it damages rapport and cooperation.
It’s important to note that the ethical and legal arguments against torture go beyond its effectiveness in gathering information. Torture is universally condemned due to its violation of human rights, dignity, and the potential for harm to individuals. So torture doesn’t work reliably and even if it did, don’t do it!
Source: play-now-my-lord