The article discusses academic freedom and the relationship of computer hackers to government, business and academic establishments. It critically examines the interest, usually with good intentions, of computer hackers to examine computer codes to uncover and solve security vulnerabilities. The article examines ways that academia and government have interacted with the hacker community. The author also discusses the idea, advanced by political economist Francis Fukuyama, that government should control basic research and provide direction for all research. Many scientists and researchers believe that this idea is a dangerous strike at academic freedom.