Question: You say you're making hacker-resistant technology for the government... What if you're protecting government secrets that are wrong and are against moral conducts?

Freya Wilson answered on 18 Jun 2015:

This is a really interesting question.

Our whole research group had a full on moral debate for most of the day.

As the scientists we are creating a tool. It’s uncertain whether it is our responsibility to control how the tool is used. I don’t have much say myself, it is down to the company that employs me and the University of Leeds to control it. I often ask myself whether I’m ok with that. And I guess I am. Because I trust the people who are using it.

But I also think everything is relative – our government is (presumably) better than, say, Isis. They aren’t open terrorists.

Added to that, there are some operations of the government that for everybody’s sake ought to stay under wraps rather than being fully transparent.

Aside from the realms of government I do think that individuals have a right to privacy. Which is what this technology will ultimately allow. If it is publicly available then the government are going to get it and use it anyway.

So many thoughts, I don’t 100% know what to think!

Excellent question. I think our lab debate is going to continue for some time…