alt Hacker NewsThe regulation at the DNA Printer level works I think, as long as nobody invents a good at home DNA printer, but if they do that there is no need for custom viruses, somebody can take an existing one that is known to be deadly and just print it.
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A custom designed virus is potentially far more deadly than something like ebola, because animals/plants will have zero resistance to it.
It'd be like releasing an invasive species into an ecosystem that has not co-evolved to co-exist with it.
That's a brilliant invention!
I will kickstart a home DNA printer
I will name it Torment Nexus
I will be rich
That’s what I’m thinking. If we can restrict EUV technology to the West then why can’t we restrict DNA manufacturing? Not to the West in this case but to capable governments like with Nuclear power.
Aren't technological constraints such as these short lived? Even if s home DNA printer won't be available this decade, the technology will come at some point. It's far better to have both legal and social policy in place before then - though the legal policy will probably not matter at all.