The Black Widow didn't have heroic roots. She used to be a villain. She committed crimes in the past and S.H.I.E.L.D. has a record of these crimes. During the Hydra's takeover of S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Widow was willing to reveal her dark secrets to the world if it meant taking down Hydra.
I find this very interesting because these days, there are people who are trying to cover up their crimes. There are already public records of the crimes and some people are spreading false information to make it look like the crime never happened or trying to place the blame on someone else. These are the same people who claim that the dictator responsible for these crimes was a great leader. These are the same people who fault other people who can't forgive and move on from the crimes even if they were committed decades ago.
Maybe if they admitted the crimes and subject themselves to the authorities, the way Black Widow admitted her crimes and subject herself to a Senate subcommittee, maybe there is a chance to see them in a different light.
