Should all information be freely available to everyone?

[Buriedcode]

Are you sure you want everyone to have access to a crisper genetic code alterations for a common cold virus making it a 99% accurate hereditary seeking, 99% lethal virus?

Once that sequence is published, the DNA can be easily printed today as you find those in home basement labs already making DNA additions/changes to yeast to make it glow in the dark.

Just based on human nature, I don't think any such knowledge should be publicly (or even privately) available anywhere.

Well, you're assuming we have the capability to modify viruses for that intent - and that those with the facilities and equipment that could possibly do such a thing don't already have access to what is essentially freely available? (albeit stored in Excel spreadsheets riddled with errors because excel changed some of them to dates )

CRISPR and gene editing techniques aren't that precise, and the idea that "anyone" can simple "print" DNA to make working viruses/bacteria with whatever properties they want is a conspiracy theorists fantasy.  If we assume that there are labs with that capability, I'm sure accessing pubmed won't be much of an issue 

[BrianHG]

CRISPR and gene editing techniques aren't that precise, and the idea that "anyone" can simple "print" DNA to make working viruses/bacteria with whatever properties they want is a conspiracy theorists fantasy.  If we assume that there are labs with that capability, I'm sure accessing pubmed won't be much of an issue 

No, we cannot yet create a complete cell's DNA.  But, we can already assemble/print small strings of DNA and use CRISPR to insert our man made string into existing cell's DNA.  This has already been done for making insulin via modifying bacteria cells, though that manually assembled snipped of DNA was copied letter base-pair by letter base-pair from our existing human genome.

I may have gone off the deep end with my example for now, but that's today.  There will be some nasty creations in our future as we learn how to usefully code DNA ourselves instead of just copying snipet examples from nature.

[Buriedcode]

Yeah, I mean, nothing either of us said precludes the possibility of it happening, or bad actors using such technology in the future - that'll just have to be handled when the bar for such effort is sufficienctly low to increases the number of nutters willing, and able, to do it.

I suppose, in terms of science/engineering information, then its really the specific information - such as using ready-do-obtain chemicals to produce something truely dangerous to a larger population - than the actual principles or science behind it.

If someone was truely dedicated to do mass harm then they will probably find the information they need anyway (that is, they are willing to spend all their resources and not care about consequences).  But limiting certain specifics will raise the bar and greatly reduce the pool of people crazy/mad enough to do it, and have the capability.  So regardless of personal info, or military secrets, I do think there is some "information" which the public does not need to know, and the benefit of knowing is outweighed by the dangers of it being frelly available. These are of course all extreme cases - and the informaiton I am talking about is most likely restricted in most countries anyway.

I'm pretty sure many here are on the same page, with any disagreement being quite specific cases.  Although it does seem that in certain parts of the world, what we consider benign, and useful information is censored because it conflicts with peopels beliefs (historical facts, sex education, evolution, geology etc..).  I suppose that is freely available, in spite of efforts, since in the west, censorship doesn't really work all that well.

[hans]

CRISPR and gene editing techniques aren't that precise, and the idea that "anyone" can simple "print" DNA to make working viruses/bacteria with whatever properties they want is a conspiracy theorists fantasy.  If we assume that there are labs with that capability, I'm sure accessing pubmed won't be much of an issue 

No, we cannot yet create a complete cell's DNA.  But, we can already assemble/print small strings of DNA and use CRISPR to insert our man made string into existing cell's DNA.  This has already been done for making insulin via modifying bacteria cells, though that manually assembled snipped of DNA was copied letter base-pair by letter base-pair from our existing human genome.

I may have gone off the deep end with my example for now, but that's today.  There will be some nasty creations in our future as we learn how to usefully code DNA ourselves instead of just copying snipet examples from nature.

Well, we already have the medicines called monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. In fact, the other day I started CGRP antagonists (Fremanezumab). It is derived from genetically modified DNA (to produced humanized proteins) that are grown in Chinese hamster ovaries.
I jokingly tell people that my HRT (Hamster Reincarnation Therapy) will make me grow big nose hairs and chubby cheeks in a few months time.

This medication does wonders for some people. Similar -mab's are also used in cancer treatments and whatnot. On the other hand it is kind of scary to read this kind of stuff, even just ignoring that we don't understand long-term biological mechanisms of  these treatments.. but also to how these medications are created. If cutting and pasting DNA strings is akin to soldering components onto a PCB, then misplacing an IC or a polarized cap by 180degrees is inevitably going to happen. Inevitably will create DNA combinations that are incredibly dangerous, and that trialed to see if they pass the "smoke test". A blown electrolytic cap isn't going to set the world on fire, but DNA might just do so.

[SL4P]

I think the answer is yes, but there must be verifiable and traceable registration of the user/downloader.
The consequences for passing on the information should be clearly laid out,
An NDA with clear consequences explained - BEFORE you download the content.

Similarly, the terms of release might require that a certificate of origin travels with the documents or their products.

Sure, this is all tedious, but it seems there are a lot of people that don’t respect IP or laws, yet they want everything free of consequences. 

There are a lot of models to protect IP, and a similar number of ways to punish offenders.
Fixing your toaster is fin, but creating drug precursors may fall into a different category.