Federal Judge Extends Order Blocking 3D Gun Blueprints From Internet

Federal Judge Extends Order Blocking 3D Gun Blueprints From Internet Enlarge this image toggle caption Kelly West/AFP/Getty Images Kelly West/AFP/Getty Images A federal judge in Washington State has extended a court order blocking a Texas-based company called Defense Distributed from posting designs for 3D-printed guns on the Internet. Sponsor Message But the restraining order and preliminary injunction are a bit like closing the barn door after the 3D-printed horse has bolted, as Matt Largey of member station KUT notes: "Defense Distributed had posted the plans online for four days late last month. The Obama administration had blocked the distribution of the blueprints, arguing that posting a blueprint for a 3D-printed gun online amounts to "exporting" the gun, because it can be downloaded by people outside the U.S. Cody Wilson, the owner of Defense Distributed, said that posting the designs is a question of free speech, not of weapons exports. National Some 3D Printing Companies Are Taking Action Against Gun Blueprints Some 3D Printing Companies Are Taking Action Against Gun Blueprints Listen · 3:58 3:58 "t is of small comfort to know that, once an undetectable firearm has been used to kill a citizen of Delaware or Rhode Island or Vermont, the federal government will seek to prosecute a weapons charge in federal court while the state pursues a murder conviction in state court," he wrote.