[FreedomStar3028]

But that would be contradictory to the point of finding intelligent life. Unless you already know whats out there. Then why send anything?

That’s why SETI sends signals and looks for signals across the spectrum.

You wouldn’t encrypt a signal if you were looking for intelligent life. So you send it out, something comes back and wipes out your entire civilization. Next time.....what would you do, you encrypt it, no one hears it and it’s pointless. You don’t and you get bombed back into the stone age again.

[FredZarguna]

SETI does not send signals. According to their public statements, they also do not look for signals across the spectrum. They believe intelligent civilizations would recognize narrow band transmissions are more efficient over long distances. They admit this is a possible limitation.

http://www.seti.org/faq#obs10

[bluejean]

Okay, but you’re assuming this alien civilization would be sending signals for the same reason we do. Maybe they aren’t. Maybe they only want to send signals to their colony or a ship that’s across the cosmos. Maybe their signals are unintentional, a result of some other process they’re involved in.

They may not be like us or think like us or even care that we’re here. Especially since we are such a self-destructive, unreasonable, violent lot. Maybe they’re better than us. Maybe they’re much worse. Hard to say.