- cross-posted to:
- privacy@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- privacy@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: https://libretechni.ca/post/1263630
New York’s state budget could pass within days. Buried deep in the text is a provision that has nothing to do with balancing the books. Part C of the budget bill would require every 3D printer sold in New York to run surveillance software that scans every design file you create, and blocks anything an algorithm flags as a potential firearm component . A separate provision would expose researchers, journalists, and educators to felony charges simply for possessing or sharing certain design files.
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At least in the US, this is pretty ridiculous. We have more murder tools (AKA guns) than people. And considering the majority of them are loaded and unsecured, we obviously don’t care about safety and more guns isn’t something we seem to mind so…
I think we can just print whatever the fuck we want on our 3D printers. The manufacturers of guns can seriously fuck off with this garbage legislation hidden under the guise of safety.
I don’t get it, why are they worried about people making firearms using a 3D printer? I might be wrong, but isn’t it fairly easy to acquire a real firearm in the US? So why would anyone use a 3D printed one?
It’s probably lobbying by corporations who feel threatened by people being able to make and repair their own stuff. Also possibly gun manufacturers, and perhaps the government’s desire to spy on everything people are doing with tech. These things are always dressed up as safety measures.
So why is this part of a budget? Why are they allowed to pass laws/regulations as a footnote to a budget.
Its insane, if I presented a budget for approval and it included footnotes adding in random unrelated policies I’d be laughed out of a job.
I think they are hoping it will go unnoticed.
It can also be a result of deal-making like “I will vote for the budget if I can include this other provision, otherwise I am sabotaging the budget.”
Why are they getting away with it? Simple: no negative consequences.
It’s a tool in their toolbox which they have never gotten punised or penalized for using, so why wouldn’t they use it?
I hate to say it, but our lawmakers don’t take us, the voters, seriously enough. Sure, if there is a ferocious backlash, they will listen for a minute. Otherwise they just do what their billionaire donors want. In case of a backlash they can just wait for it to die down, the outrage fades, and they can try to serve the billionaire interests again.
In this case the billionaires fear the peasants 3D printing untraceable guns. Imagine if full auto or selective fire firerams can be 3D printed? In other words, gun regulations cannot work when every citizen is a gun factory.
If our government worked in our interests, none of this would matter because nobody would be angry enough to want to resort to political violence, even if they were armed.
On the other hand if there were say 50 million (out of 340 total) enraged have-nothings with nothing to lose in life, then if only 1% of those 50 actually take action, boy, our government and the billionaires will have their hands full. Bodyguards might start charging 50 million a year to guard the billionaires, and just try to stiff your bodyguards and see what happens then.
Even an idiot understands that it’s not smart to create a society with a whole bunch of desperate people with nothing to lose. But our system is run by people worse than idiots, which is why they will try to regulate and surveil the peasants first, punching down first, before being forced to finally do what they should have always been doing: serve the goddam people, serve the 99%!
You new here?
Nah, but if never stop talking about the absurdity of it all, we’ll start to think it’s the way things should be.
When it mandates technology in hardware, manufacturers don’t build a New York-only version. They build one version and sell it everywhere. What passes in Albany won’t stay in New York.
Once again, the USA is being a problem for the entire world.
And, as usual, we don’t get any say in the matter unless/until we completely isolate ourselves from them.
Once again, the USA is being a problem for the entire world.
And, as usual, we don’t get any say in the matter unless/until we completely isolate ourselves from them.
Trouble is, that’s 300 million people and change with a lot of money to spend. Any company would be foolish to turn its back on that market completely.
I’d do that sooner rather than later, things are only going to get crazier
Just once I’d like to see the world’s companies react to dumb local laws by refusing to sell their products where the laws apply. Problem is, other states and countries always introduce matching stupid laws soon enough. California, for example, is introducing a similar restriction on 3D printers.
California is trying to do the same thing. https://youtu.be/5ax9zW0w_gY
So what you mean to tell me is that every 3D printer in New York is going to come with an index of firearm components?
Not to mention that someone’s going to come out with a jailbreak option for every 3D printer within a couple of weeks of this being implemented at a manufacturing scale.
I mean, at the end of the day, we’re talking stepper motors, switches, a resistive heater, (EDIT: or two. Forgot about the heated bed) a thermistor (or two, heated bed again), a few fans. maybe a solenoid. What you’re usually buying with a 3d printer is the hardware and the mechanical engineering that went into it, The on board software is… sufficient, but there’s a reason things like Octoprint and Klipper are so popular.
Think of the children!™
Think of the CEOs.
Americans do love insisting that it’s impossible to control guns, even though literally every other country does it successfully.
What 3d printing software do you use in your country that detects if gun parts are being printed?
Because as far as I know, that’s impossible.
Edit: I assume the downvote confirms such software doesn’t exist.