Reversing the Role

Lets say that 2109 has arrived, and a mission has arrived in this far distant system, where a Earth-like planet exists.  So as the approach starts to occur....radio reception picks up tens of thousands of signals, and the 'boys' in the craft now realize that this is another civilization.  

So they pull out the handbook, and it goes down to a dozen 'rules'.  Three key rules will exist....(1) do not make contact until you have surveyed the situation, (2) hide your craft with the use of moons, and (3) limit radio communications.

After a while, you will decide that surveying up-close will be necessary....meaning to send a team into orbit, and land probably in their ocean...hiding your craft there. 

This survey may take weeks, months or years, and the do-not-introduce yourself rule will always be enforced.

So you take this whole book of rules and expectations, and it's exactly what I'd expect of any alien visitation on Earth.  

Why would you excite folks unnecessarily?  Adding to the mess.....you don't want to let them know that you might be 1,000 years more advanced.  

Explaining This 'Pegasus' Scandal

 Back around ten years ago, this spy software came up on the market, and was supposed to be used on 'bad' guys.  It was developed by an Israeli company (NSO Group).  

Somewhere in the process of things....the software (loadable on tabs, smart-phones, etc)....catches key-strokes and phone-numbers.  

So the user list went past just plain bad guys, and started to include journalists, businessmen, and human rights type folks.

The odds that politicians have been monitored?  No one talks much over that but if you look at the various 'users'....it wouldn't take much to monitor all 100 US Senators.  Monitoring of Secret Service personnel?  Same story.  Watching bankers and investment folks.....for trends?  Same story.  

Over the next six months, I expect hundreds of folks to discover their chats were intercepted, and this becomes a big deal.