Printing Terror: Extreme Right Online Forums, and Do-It Yourself Firearms

On October 9, 2019, a gunman attempted to kill worshipers at a synagogue in Halle, Germany, and crossed a new threshold: it was the first time a terrorist perpetrated a deadly attack with homemade firearm including a 3D printed handgun. This presentation investigates the intersection between additive manufacturing technology, online forums, and Extreme Right political thought, in order to better understand (1) the aspirations of online extremist groups around their approach to 3D printing, (2) how might these groups consider incorporating 3D printing into their long-term political aspirations, and lastly (3), whether their understanding of additive manufacturing lines up with what is currently feasible with existing commercial This research project employs a mixed-method approach, combining a digital ethnographical survey of extreme right forums, including Stormfront and Iron March; interviews with First and Second Amendment activists; and industry experts. This research demonstrates the existence of a prominent discourse within extreme right forums, which frames 3D printing as a catalyst for political change by enabling the manufacturing weapons at home while avoiding public regulation. However, despite this apparent appetite for such technological revolution, the attributes and imagined capabilities of this technology exceed what is currently feasible with hobbyist 3D printers.