The release of the e-mails echoes the way in which hackers released documents stolen from climate scientists before a major UN meeting in 2009. Much commentary on those documents suggested—wrongly—that scientists were up to no good. Still, damage was done and public trust in scientists declined. It would be unfortunate if the trick were repeated here, not least because it is scientists working on gene drives who have raised many of the concerns.
“I didn’t read it that way,” Kuiken said when Motherboard described this reaction.This isn’t the first time a Nature editorial has taken a polarizing stance on a subject. But science journalism has benefitted greatly from the FOIA process, and even the loosest comparison between the law and illegal hacking could be detrimental. The publisher has made no indication that it plans to clarify its ambiguous comment.Open-records laws have been opposed by administrations and in Congress—perhaps never more-so than now—and it’s disappointing that Nature, in defending the science community, provided new ammunition for FOIA’s biggest detractors.Of course, I'm just a member of the public who happens to file FOIA requests. But I kinda sorta thought, after being places like this list over the years, that the media didn't really want draw parallels between felons and people who publish FOIA results. Probably not a good self-preservation policy.