Surely you have heard of the "3D" printers... those that already allow us to print everything that we didn’t imagine: lenses, tools, shelves, furniture... even guns.
A few days ago, it was going to be legally allowed that anyone could download the plans of guns and rifles to produce them with a 3D printer. All this, by an agreement of the government of US with the Defense Distributed organization. However, several prosecutors managed to stop the access to the plans.
You can say: "Very well, it was stopped, so what is the problem?" The problem is that it is not yet a resounding "no" to the prohibition of this type of weapons. The risk: that anyone produces weapons without permission or authorization, without being registered, not much less controlled. Yes, without being traced. The risk that these weapons are used to carry out any crime... from domestic abuse, thefts, kidnappings, hate crimes... massacres, shootings.
Some experts have indicated that they are not a danger, because their material is similar to toys. That on average they could fire up to 9 bullets and only once. But the final idea is that they work and are deadly. Imagine that a criminal buy not one, but several 3D printers... in how much time and days, it can be produced how many weapons...
They have another weakness: their material doesn't allow to be detected. The risk: they can be taken in to massive events, airports, planes, offices, schools...
Who can assure that a minor won’t have access to them? Someone with a criminal record? A gang member?
While the technology will continue... like this issue, we must consider the impact it can have. Will technology protect us from organized crime, from terrorists? Or will it destroy us, by facilitating the criminal's lives?
Reference data: the BBC says those days before the planned date, the plans were made public, generating thousands of downloads. Maybe the damage is already irreparable...
A few days ago, it was going to be legally allowed that anyone could download the plans of guns and rifles to produce them with a 3D printer. All this, by an agreement of the government of US with the Defense Distributed organization. However, several prosecutors managed to stop the access to the plans.
You can say: "Very well, it was stopped, so what is the problem?" The problem is that it is not yet a resounding "no" to the prohibition of this type of weapons. The risk: that anyone produces weapons without permission or authorization, without being registered, not much less controlled. Yes, without being traced. The risk that these weapons are used to carry out any crime... from domestic abuse, thefts, kidnappings, hate crimes... massacres, shootings.
Some experts have indicated that they are not a danger, because their material is similar to toys. That on average they could fire up to 9 bullets and only once. But the final idea is that they work and are deadly. Imagine that a criminal buy not one, but several 3D printers... in how much time and days, it can be produced how many weapons...
They have another weakness: their material doesn't allow to be detected. The risk: they can be taken in to massive events, airports, planes, offices, schools...
Who can assure that a minor won’t have access to them? Someone with a criminal record? A gang member?
While the technology will continue... like this issue, we must consider the impact it can have. Will technology protect us from organized crime, from terrorists? Or will it destroy us, by facilitating the criminal's lives?
Reference data: the BBC says those days before the planned date, the plans were made public, generating thousands of downloads. Maybe the damage is already irreparable...
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