The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) has ratified protocols advising what an astronomer should do if they discover evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence in our modern global world of social media, AI deep fakes and misinformation.
Referred to as the "Declaration of Principles Concerning the Conduct of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)," the post-detection protocols cover everything from handling the evidence, and how the discovery should be communicated to the world to the challenge of what comes after the discovery. In a world where an AI hoax could easily be promulgated across social media, or in which conspiracy theorists would likely attack a real discovery, the protocols are intended to encourage best practice and safeguard astronomers when the media spotlight falls on them.
