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New York Governor Kathy Hochul defends tech regulations and warns 3D-printed gun developer

Hochul outlined her administration's stance on state-level tech policies, youth social media protections, and gun control enforcement during a podcast interview.

The short version

  • New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed state tech policy, defending laws restricting teen social media use and regulations aimed at 3D-printed firearms.
  • Hochul warned 3D-printed gun creator Cody Wilson that state officials will counter his efforts to bypass New York's ban on 3D-printed firearms.
  • The governor also highlighted New York's one-year moratorium on data center construction enacted in July and defended age-verification and algorithmic rules for social media platforms.

Key facts

  • 3D-printed gun developer Cody Wilson introduced a tool designed to bypass New York state regulations that ban 3D printers from manufacturing firearms.[The Verge · The Verge]
  • Governor Kathy Hochul stated on the Decoder podcast that she intends to get ahead of Wilson's efforts and enforce New York's prohibition on 3D-printed weapons.[The Verge · The Verge]
  • Hochul signed a one-year moratorium on data center construction in July 2026.[The Verge]
  • Meta reached a settlement with 47 states, including New York, placing restrictions on teen social media access, including limits on night notifications and addictive algorithms.[The Verge]
  • Hochul defended state regulations restricting teen social media access and gun control laws against claims that they breach First Amendment protections.[The Verge]

What remains uncertain

  • It remains to be seen how state regulators will successfully restrict 3D-printed gun modifications designed specifically to skirt New York law.[The Verge · The Verge]
  • Whether New York's social media restrictions facing potential First Amendment challenges will hold up in court is unresolved.[The Verge]

Sources