New York Governor Challenges 3D-Printed Gun Advocate: “I’ll Outpace Cody”
Cody Wilson, known for creating the first 3D-printed gun, recently unveiled a tool designed to bypass a New York law that prohibits 3D printers from producing firearms, all while taking a jab at Governor Kathy Hochul. However, Hochul is not backing down.
In a recent episode of Decoder, Hochul addressed Wilson’s “Hochulization” tool, making it clear that she intends to uphold the state’s regulations:
> “You can tell Cody I will get ahead of him next. I can’t always be on the forefront when I see someone intentionally thwarting a law. It is the law that you cannot have 3D-printed guns in the state of New York. And if you think it’s okay to have someone in their kitchen who may have severe mental health problems who wants to shoot up kids in your school, make a ghost gun at their kitchen table or create a munitions factory where there was none, with no regulations, no background checks, no nothing, and people broadcast that as if it’s a proper thing to do is challenge me on that, then I say go for it. Because you’re trampling in the wrong space.”
Wilson announced plans to apply the “Hochulization” method to his extensive collection of over 200,000 gun design files, even considering making it open-source. This tool aims to circumvent government-mandated detection systems by altering file hashes to avoid being flagged as firearms, while still maintaining the original functionality.
Wilson isn’t alone in opposing the push for gun detection software; the Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised alarms about digital surveillance and the imposition of “censorware” on 3D printers. Earlier this year, a creator in Kentucky showcased the ambiguous nature of 3D-printed gun regulations with an e-reader case that resembles a gun but is non-functional.
When questioned about how regulations would address designs like the e-reader case that mimic guns but aren’t operational, Hochul stated, “I want to make sure that we’re getting the objective I’m looking for and I’ll figure it out.” She acknowledged that “there are other restrictions that occur,” but reaffirmed her support for New York’s ban:
> “It’s not ideal, but I also didn’t think it was a smart idea for people to manufacture weapons of mass destruction at their kitchen table and kill kids. So I’m going to be the one who says no. I’d rather have the regulation that protects and prevents it. Use 3D printers for any kind of good. You can make all kinds of things with 3D printers. It’s not a ban on 3D printing. It is a use that is illegal because you cannot have a gun in the state of New York without having had a background check, having regulation, having it registered. We have all kinds of rules, which is one of the reasons why we are one of the safest states in America. Lowest gun homicide deaths in America. It’s extraordinary, because the rules are working. So not everyone loves rules. I get it. This is not the wild west. This is New York. We’re going to do it right.”
The backlash against New York’s ban echoes a broader concern similar to the bipartisan criticism of Flock cameras, both highlighting rising anxieties about digital surveillance. Hochul recognized the “anxiety” surrounding surveillance, asserting that the government must monitor for “excesses” and addressing concerns about the potential misuse of Flock cameras by stating, “To the extent that they’re being abused, that has to stop.”
