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US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

on3dprinting.com

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Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#81

Post by bane »

The government's stated reason for taking it down is that making weapons technology available for international download via the internet requires an ITAR license [1]. If he had simply blocked international IP addresses from downloading it, it would not have fallen under the powers of the State Department. I've had to even do ITAR licensing on portable half-racks of off the shelf Dell servers.

It's a pain, but it is what it is.

1 - http://pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/itar_official.html

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#82

Post by peteri »

cynwoody wrote: post #40
mtgx wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was it on a .com domain? Because they've had the power to take those down for a few years now.

I found it on a certain .nz domain[1], the owner of which (who, oddly enough, renamed himself after the TLD you mention) is currently thumbing his nose at the USG[2]. [1] https://mega.co.nz/#!JplQVDDQ!Qi8kflIn8kMZl0hK96YW1h7RIc9vz2... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Dotcom

Certainly the silencer design is done by a friend of mine who lives in NZ who already avoids going to the US so I suspect that will stay up for a very long time.

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#83

Post by rrc »

One possibility I haven't seen mentioned here:

1. Government does actually know how the Internet works

2. Makes this attempt, knows it will fail

3. Waits until somebody blows themselves - or somebody else - up with a poorly made, 3D printed gun

4. Government points to failed attempt, argues it does not have the necessary power it needs to prevent these tragedies

5. Government passes bill expanding its power

6. Rinse, repeat

Of course my use of "government" here incorrectly suggests a single entity with a plan. Obviously it does really work that way, but bureaucracies sometimes remind me of organisms with memories, immune systems and, above all, a desire to grow.

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#85

Post by Vivtek »

bane wrote: post #81

The government's stated reason for taking it down is that making weapons technology available for international download via the internet requires an ITAR license [1]. If he had simply blocked international IP addresses from downloading it, it would not have fallen under the powers of the State Department. I've had to even do ITAR licensing on portable half-racks of off the shelf Dell servers. It's a pain, but it is…

I just downloaded it from Hungary.

ITAR is moronic.

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#86

Post by temphn »

nostromo wrote: post #13

"While I am as impressed as anyone with 3-D printing technology and I believe it has amazing possibilities," said California state senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), "we must ensure that it is not used for the wrong purpose with potentially deadly consequences. I plan to introduce legislation that will ensure public safety and stop the manufacturing of guns that are invisible to metal detectors and that…

Don't usually link to Reddit, but this is worthy of note. In a thread with 3600 comments and 3000+ upvotes was the following exchange:

http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1e0ybl/3d_gun_bl...

  I'm sorry, I seem to have stumbled into bizarro-reddit. On 
  that other reddit they want to ban guns completely.

  No, what's happening is that the government just made 
  reddit choose between guns or the internet. Guess which 
  reddit chose?
The US government is run by people who just don't understand the internet.

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#87

Post by gadders »

huhtenberg wrote: post #67
smsm42 wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not. Nobody was threatened with this, nobody will ever be threatened with this. This thing is un-concealable and unusable as a real-life weapon in any public safety scenario. If you think anybody with this prototype can threaten public safety you are badly mistaken. The idea that any time anything new happens the government should jump in and prohibit it until it is proven safe is exactly why politicians like t…

I'm guessing that one can carry it through the airport security easily enough. It's not that it's printed, it's the fact that it's printed in plastic .

How do you transport the bullets?

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#88

Post by antihero »

vidarh wrote: post #52
kamkazemoose wrote: post #11

This makes me wonder what kind of regulations the 3d printing industry will face. It makes me wonder if 3d printer software might be forced to not print pieces it recognizes as a gun similar to how ink printers won't print images of money. Or some other restrictions on printing It seems unlikely that the government will be happy with people printing anything they want.

The problem is the range of projects aimed at making 3D-printers that can replicate the parts for itself. Any restrictions will see people designing plans for innocent looking components that can be used to assemble a restriction-free 3D-printer. It's a losing proposition to try to restrict this. They may succeed at delaying widescale adoption for a while, but not much more.

People will just hack the firmware as with every device ever made. They'll have to make it a crime to use a 3D printer with the intent of creating a firearm, but who's going to give a shit?

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#89

Post by nayefc »

smsm42 wrote: post #64
huhtenberg wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would be a better way to handle this situation? (edit) I'm not saying that this is the best option. The government is tasked with ensuring public safety and this is an issue with major public safety repercussions. They cannot just sit and watch this unfold, and what this guy said is basically the most obvious way of dealing with the situation.

It is not. Nobody was threatened with this, nobody will ever be threatened with this. This thing is un-concealable and unusable as a real-life weapon in any public safety scenario. If you think anybody with this prototype can threaten public safety you are badly mistaken. The idea that any time anything new happens the government should jump in and prohibit it until it is proven safe is exactly why politicians like t…

You sound like a tea party Republican. Of course the government has to jump in when a 3D gun is being printed, whether it's safe or not!

Re: US Government Takes Down 3D Printed Gun Plans

#90

Post by bane »

Vivtek wrote: post #85
bane wrote: post #81

The government's stated reason for taking it down is that making weapons technology available for international download via the internet requires an ITAR license [1]. If he had simply blocked international IP addresses from downloading it, it would not have fallen under the powers of the State Department. I've had to even do ITAR licensing on portable half-racks of off the shelf Dell servers. It's a pain, but it is…

I just downloaded it from Hungary. ITAR is moronic.

> ITAR is moronic.

No disagreements here.

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