Printing the Future… or Printing Under Watch?
When I first started using 3D printing, it felt like I had discovered a life hack for reality. I could design something on my laptop at 11:47 p.m., press a button, go to sleep, and wake up to an object that didn’t exist the day before. It felt like something out of a science fiction movie. I genuinely felt like I was living in the future. I could make phone stands, tool organizers, and random things I wanted just because I could. Now people aren’t just talking about the cool things you can make with 3D printing. They’re talking about rules, bans, and privacy. As a teenager who actually cares about technology, that makes me uncomfortable. There’s a debate happening between innovation and control. On one hand, 3D printing is incredibly powerful. On the other hand, governments are worried about what people can make with it. In the United States, where people already argue constantly about weapons, privacy, and digital freedom, 3D printing has become part of a much bigger conversation. Let...