EFF warns California 3D printing bill would criminalize open-source alternatives

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is warning that California's proposed 3D printing legislation would mandate censorship software on all devices while criminalizing open-source alternatives. California bill A.B. 2047 would require "censorware" on 3D printers and make it a misdemeanor for users to disable, deactivate, or circumvent the mandated algorithms. The EFF argues this effectively criminalizes third-party, open-source firmware and parallels anti-consumer behaviors seen with Digital Rights Management technologies. The legislation aims to address concerns about "ghost guns," though 3D printing of firearms is already rare and banned under existing law. The EFF warns the bill would grant major manufacturers control over user ecosystems, enabling them to lock customers into first-party tools, parts, and consumables while imposing heavy platform taxes. Manufacturers could also force planned obsolescence by ceasing updates to print-blocking systems, rendering devices non-compliant and illegal to resell. The bill creates a bureaucratic burden requiring the California Department of Justice to establish technical standards, certify algorithms, maintain lists of compliant printers, and create a database of banned blueprints. According to the EFF, the bill favors incumbent manufacturers by raising barriers to entry for smaller competitors who must implement ineffective solutions and navigate state approvals. It also threatens the second-hand market by making non-compliant device resale illegal. The organization warns that once implemented, this censorship infrastructure could expand beyond firearm parts to copyright or political speech, with surveillance risks extending beyond California as manufacturers roll out anti-competitive tools globally. California's proposal follows similar bills in Washington and New York, but the EFF calls it the most troubling, arguing it demands an unfeasible technological solution for something already illegal while risking innovation and consumer choice.