According to Create It Real’s CEO Jeremie Pierre Gay, the company’s new software can detect a wide variety of critical gun part models and prevent them from being printed. However, Gay does admit that his software is still in the development stage. He also noted that recognizing all of the parts that fit into a 3D printed gun might be impossible. Nevertheless his company is pushing forward with the development of the software in the hopes that it will make printing a gun much more difficult.
In the past I’ve stated that I’m no fan of Defense Distributed’s Liberator gun. However, I’m even more concerned about the type of software that Create It Real is producing. Lawmakers across the globe have been caught off guard by the printing of a gun, and some have called for legislation to stop them from being printed.
Since enforcing a ban on 3D printing of weapons would be impossible, software like the type being produced by Create It Real could become part of government regulations. If 3D printer manufacturers were required to install this type of software on their machines it would create a level of censorship that I feel violates the liberties of anyone who wants to explore 3D printing technology.
While there may always be people who have deranged and violent intentions, for me, that doesn’t necessitate the wholesale censoring of what one can and can’t create with their own 3D printer. I’m no supporter of 3D printed guns, but I’m even less of fan of censorship.
Image Courtesy of Create It Real