Colorado is joining the growing list of states attempting to crack down on the manufacture of 3D printed “ghost guns,” joining New York, Washington, and California on a quest to expand firearms laws to regulate digital files and potentially ban 3D printers that are not under its surveillance. Under these restrictions, 3D printers that are not online for surveillance would be illegal.
Preventing gun violence is a noble cause, but these proposed bills are no longer going after the criminals who do evil; they are going after the tools they could potentially use to create weapons. This attempt at public safety could usher in an age of proprietary ecosystems, with customers locked into branded slicers and limited filament choices.
