The California State Assembly has approved AB 2047, mandating surveillance software on 3D printers despite warnings from the EFF about technical impossibility and privacy risks. The bill targets an already illegal practice of unlicensed firearms manufacturing while ignoring core concerns about censoring lawful speech and criminalizing open source experimentation.

Lawmakers added amendments that actually weaken the proposal's effectiveness. The performance standard shifted from preventing skilled users from evading detection to merely reducing foreseeable circumvention attempts. This change acknowledges the technology cannot work as intended, yet still requires all prints to be surveilled. Technical standards now rely on non-governmental third parties and manufacturer self-policing rather than rigorous oversight.

Commercial users in entertainment received a carveout for props and costumes, but this leaves independent creators and cosplayers vulnerable while enabling manufacturers to create expensive tiered systems. Businesses using 3D printers face IP theft risks as printed files undergo surveillance that could expose prototypes to manufacturers, governments, or the public through data breaches.

The legislation threatens privacy and choice for law-abiding users while failing to address its fundamental technical flaws. California senators should reject AB 2047 before it becomes law.