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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California is trying to do the same thing. https://youtu.be/5ax9zW0w_gY
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%!
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?
There is no such technology. This will effectively ban 3d printers until there is. It’s not as trivial as they make it sound
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.
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.
I mean you’re looking at what it will take to fully control guns in America.
Any second thoughts?
