Editing Prime Directive (section)

==Temporal Prime Directive==
The "Temporal Prime Directive" is a fictional guideline for [[time travel]]ers (from the past ''or'' future) from interfering in the natural development of a [[Chronology|timeline]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

In the ''TNG'' episode "[[A Matter of Time (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|A Matter of Time]]", Picard compares the Prime Directive to a possible Temporal Prime Directive: 
<blockquote>"Of course, you know of the Prime Directive, which tells us that we have no right to interfere with the natural evolution of alien worlds. Now I have sworn to uphold it, but nevertheless I have disregarded that directive on more than one occasion because I thought it was the right thing to do. Now, if you are holding on to some temporal equivalent of that directive, then isn't it possible that you have an occasion here to make an exception, to help me to choose, because it's the right thing to do?"</blockquote>

As 31st-century time traveler Daniels revealed to Captain [[Jonathan Archer]] in the ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' episode "[[Cold Front (Star Trek: Enterprise)|Cold Front]]", as time travel technology became practical, the Temporal Accords were established sometime before the 31st century, to allow the use of time travel for the purposes of studying history, while prohibiting the use of it to alter history.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

As revealed in the ''Star Trek: Discovery'' episode "Face the Strange," the Temporal Prime Directive is still in effect in the late 32nd century.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}