The advent of 3D printing technology introduced many new exciting possibilities, possibilities that may directly impact intellectual property rights. As the technology matures and inevitably becomes more common, what’s to stop 3D printers from infringing certain property rights?
Some marketing analysts consider this the next stage in the stormy relationship between technology and IP. The main issue of concern is regarding accountability – who is liable when a company’s intellectual property rights are broken? The answer might not be so simple.
Here’s a hypothetical situation: an individual with access to a 3D printer begins selling figures from a popular television series. Who does the parent company target in legal action? Arguments can be made against the individual selling counterfeit merchandise, the printing company, the designer and even the supplier of the material.
Questions about the future of intellectual property might find answers from the past. When the VCR was introduced to the public, concerns relating to copyright infringement took center stage. What would stop individuals from copying and displaying television shows and movies?
Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled the VCR was capable of significant non-infringing purposes and allowed the technology to flourish. However, years later, the file sharing service Napster was shut down as copyright infringement was deemed a regular occurrence throughout service usage.
Contrasting the two previous examples proves there is a line when it comes to IP. New technologies like 3D printing require lawmakers to reexamine the traditional rules, to constantly evolve. The process certainly amounts to more than a few growing pains along the way.
As legislators debate where the line should be moved regarding 3D printers, some printing servicers are already cashing in. Popular public opinion maintains it’s only a matter of time before lawsuits relating to 3D printing begin to dominate the headlines.