Free Republic

A Seattle court prevented Cody Wilson from publishing 3D files on the Internet for free. Wilson obeys. Now he sells the 3D files in thumb drives instead. Cody Wilson, while complying with a court order requiring the State Department to retreat from a First Amendment legal settlement, has taken another route showing the irrationality of the court decision.Here is a brief history of this interesting, if silly, attempt to stop the flow of information. In 2013, Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed showed the technical potential of using 3D printers to make a simple, plastic, one shot pistol. They called...

A federal judge on Monday granted a preliminary injunction to a coalition of states seeking to block a Texas-based company from posting online blueprints for how to make 3D-printed guns. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik followed an initial temporary restraining order he granted in late July that blocked the federal government from implementing terms of a settlement the company, Defense Distributed, struck with the State Department earlier this year that would have allowed founder Cody Wilson to start posting the files again. The ruling Monday means the blockade will continue while the judge considers the broader...