system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Star Trek] Has the Federation ever encountered a Civilisation that discovered Subspace Communication before Warp Drive? How would they respond if they did?
gpt
Yes, they have: The Trill. (In beta canon)

It's a common misconception that the Prime Directive applies until a species developed Warp Drives, but that's not true.

The Prime Directive's goal is to prevent the exploitation of a developing civilisation by more advanced species.

Therefore it only applies until the species has become aware of the wider cosmos and the civilisations existing there.