On November 12th 2019, a federal judge has struck down against an attempt to release downloadable gun files in the United States. It was declared that allowing access to this information violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution.
It has been echoed that such free access to untraceable blueprints could threaten world peace and national security.
However, it has also been argued that If blueprints are speech, then 3D files are speech too. That means that, according to the constitution we have today, the government can’t prohibit them.
So what is 3D printing exactly?
3D printing is a process where a computer-aided-design (CAD) is sent to a printer where it is produced in three dimensions out of plastic or resin.
Matthew Larosiere, Director of Legal Policy Firearms Policy Coalition and Senior Contributor for Young Voices, explains what the future of 3D printing could mean for the gun industry.