The International Academy of Astronautics has banned sending replies to possible signals from extraterrestrial civilizations without international consultations.
This is stated in the academy’s updated declaration on the rules for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, SETI. The document was revised for the first time since 2010.
The new rules added a ban on any attempts to interact with potential extraterrestrial civilizations before agreement is reached at the international level.
Even if a signal is confirmed, the decision on whether to respond and what the response should be must be made through the UN.
The protocol also requires that, if signs of extraterrestrial intelligence are detected, an official report be sent to a number of international organizations.