[_RPL5_]

Well, for one, the US government prevents private actors from buying all sorts of things. I am surprised that selling tools which potentially "enable cyber crime" hasn't triggered some overzealous regulator in DC yet. It seems like low-hanging fruit.

[epinephrinios]

What prevents a criminal buying a chef's knife and committing a crime with it?

I am surprised that selling tools which potentially "enable murder" hasn't triggered some overzealous regulator in DC yet. It seems like low-hanging fruit. /s

Pro-authoritarian sentiment keeps going strong. Why is it so normalized these days?

[chii]

while i do agree with the general sentiment, the technology has moved faster than the societal legislative process.

If you asked a reasonable person off the streets why bioweapons (like anthrax) should not be easily purchasable, they would completely agree and hence the legislature has made such things illegal.

But if you asked that same reasonable person off the street about miniature computers and electronic devices, they would probably not imagine that such uses are possible, nor would they deem it dangerous. They might even consider it useful! So legislation on such things cannot be set by societal expectations.