If a real signal is found...

I've been thinking about it, and given the track record of the US Military with regards to the ET subject, how are we to know that if a signal really is found, the government isn't just going to swoop in and silence our results, basically making all of our time, money, and effort spent on this project in vain? I don't believe for 1 second that the US government wouldn't try to keep this sort of thing quiet, if one of us really did find something.. Kind of upsetting. Do we have any sort of "double proofing" or some way of making sure it goes mainstream in so that our results aren't dumped into the X-Files, and some of us crunchers and the staff at SETI aren't forced to sign a non disclosure document? I really think it is a valid question. To be honest, I think the answer we are searching for has already been answered, but is kept secret by the gov. I'm a part of this project because I think everybody deserves to know about it.
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Conspiracies fall apart quickly. Most people simply cannot keep secrets and so the more people involved in any cover up means the more chance of the secret leaking out. Remember also there would be more than one government involved as there are people all over the world involved in the program.

Gary, best case scenario and most likely.
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Thanks for the great responses guys! That about answers my concern... They can't stop me from continuing my search :)
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Also, if a real signal is found and it is not directed at us in particular there won't be a lot anybody including governments can do about it. There will be years of analysis and then more years of debate over what, if anything we should do about it. But at least we will know, at least those of us who choose to believe.

If such a message is directed at us specifically all we will really be able to do is wait and pray.
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Bob DeWoody

Also, if a real signal is found and it is not directed at us in particular there won't be a lot anybody including governments can do about it. There will be years of analysis and then more years of debate over what, if anything we should do about it. But at least we will know, at least those of us who choose to believe.

If such a message is directed at us specifically all we will really be able to do is wait and pray.

I think i'm going to watch "Contact" again tonight ;-)

Very proud to be part of the Carl Sagan team here on S@H.

Also, if a real signal is found and it is not directed at us in particular there won't be a lot anybody including governments can do about it. There will be years of analysis and then more years of debate over what, if anything we should do about it. But at least we will know, at least those of us who choose to believe.

If such a message is directed at us specifically all we will really be able to do is wait and pray.

Bob, I'm not sure if there would need to be any debate regarding what to do
about this signal if discovered. Other than to continually analyse it to glean
as much information regarding it's contents and source. Hopefully the signal
found will not be a one-off incident but a continual transmission of signals
sent over a fairly long period of time. There's not much we could actually do
in response to this signal purely due to time lapses but the scientific
census I suspect would be to plan to send some form of expeditionary probe out
towards the signals source. Naturally we would return a signal back to the
source to acknowledge receipt stating also that we are planning to send
a probe out their way.

If a signal arrives, we should first decode it, not an easy task without a Rosetta Stone. For example, Crete's Linear A has not yet been decoded, while Linear B has been decoded using some hieroglyph which referred to Crete, which had trade relationships with Egypt.
Tullio
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You are assuming the signal carries information. It may only be a beacon.

I can see where there would be a great deal of debate if it is established that the signal is NOT directed at earth in particular or us specifically. First there would be the period of time wherein the content of the signal would have to be decoded followed by possible conflicting interpretation of it's meaning. Then those in charge would have to decide whether it would be in our (the earth's) best interest to make our pressence known. That alone could take decades. Then there would be the period of time during which the content of our but-in transmission would be composed or our decision to stay in hiding. Yup, there are a lot of issues that will have to be weighed before doing anything.

But if it's nothing more than encrypted packets, for example, it essentially won't really contain "information", instead it could just be some totally useless-to-us data.