TWF? Epsd. 5 - The Invention Secrecy Act of 1951

Transcript

[Music] [Music] [Laughter] imagine inventing a groundbreaking technology a piece of Genius that could change the world only to have it vanish Into Thin Air Locked Away by forces beyond your control welcome to the shadowy world of the invention secrecy Act of 1951 [Music] in the aftermath of World War II the United States government passed a little known but incredibly powerful law The Invention secrecy Act was designed to keep certain inventions Under Wraps citing National Security but what does that really mean during the Cold War War the fear of technological Secrets falling into enemy hands was at an all-time high this act allowed the government to slap secrecy orders on patent applications effectively locking away new [Music] inventions imagine you've invented something revolutionary and then a knock on the door men in suits demanding your blueprints your notes it's no no longer yours it belongs to the state each year thousands of patents are filed and each year hundreds are placed under secrecy orders what kinds of inventions you ask well that's the million-dollar question could it be free energy devices Advanced Weaponry or perhaps technologies that could alter the very fabric of our society [Music] some say the Act has been used to stifle technologies that threaten powerful interests energy sources that could render oil obsolete medical breakthroughs that could revolutionize healthc care or communication technologies that would make surveillance Impossible The Invention secrecy Act is just a tool for the state to control technological progress it's not about National Security it's about maintaining power and control but here's the twist you'll never know if your invention will be seized the ACT is shrouded in such secrecy that even mentioning a secrecy order is illegal so what's being hidden from us could there be world changing Technologies locked away never to see the light of day or is it just the government protecting us from potential [Music] threats whatever the truth the invention secrecy Act of 1951 remains a powerful reminder of the Hidden forces that shape our world the question is what else are they hiding [Music] [Music]