I was pointed at a silly article from the Gauardian asking who decides what to do when aliens contact. Silly because the answer is obviously the Aliens decide. We just got tech a century ago. It's our first rodeo. The aliens have known we are here since before we figured out we were here. They could easily have contacted us, the stupidest race in the galaxy, any time they wished. They don't yet wish. When they do, we won't be their first contact. They'll have lots of experience and run the show towards their agenda. The odds of anything else are tiny. We have had technology for less time than everybody else in our galaxy, don't forget that. Some day they may want to talk to us, but they will decide when and how. The article only imagines it's up to us!