Should freedom have limits? ‘The New Radical’’s subjects say “nope”
Free speech that even the NSA can’t stop. Cheap printable guns for anyone who wants one. Money not controlled by banks or governments. In fact, no governments at all. Welcome to the crypto-utopia of Cody Wilson and Amir Taaki, two of the subjects of director Adam Bhala Lough’s documentary, The New Radical.
3D guns & untraceable crypto
On one hand, we have Wilson, an early creator of 3D-printed guns. In 2013, while studying law at the University of Texas, he posted blueprints for his plastic Liberator pistol online and invited anyone who was interested to download them for free. The Second Amendment gives Americans the right to own weapons, and the First Amendment grants the right to freely distribute information. Mix those two together, Wilson believes, we have the right to free plans for printable plastic guns. The U.S. State Department disagreed and forced him to take the files down, but not before they were downloaded 100,000 times in the two days they were up. If you think that’s scary imagine someone uploading blueprints for an accurate rifle. On the other: Amir Taaki, an early developer of Bitcoin, the peer-to-peer money system. Bitcoin allows users to transact directly with each other over the internet, outside the rules and restrictions of government entities and banking organizations. Bitcoin transactions can’t be tracked to individuals if they’re careful enough, and they have been used for online activity such as darknet marketplaces for drugs and other illegal items. Wilson and Taaki even collaborated on a project called DarkWallet, an app that jumbles bitcoin from different users together in an effort to make transactions less traceable. Bitcoin’s market capitalization reached over $1.26 trillion in 2026 after a 2025 peak above $126,000 per coin, a scale far beyond early estimates. Wilson continued his work through Defense Distributed after 2013 and completed probation in 2022 after charges were dismissed. Taaki later developed DarkFi, a privacy-focused blockchain project for anonymous organizations using zero-knowledge cryptography. At least sixteen states now regulate ghost guns or unserialized firearms, and several including New York, Colorado, and Washington enacted new restrictions in 2026 on manufacturing, file distribution, and printer hardware. In that world, true freedom of speech means all expression and files can be freely distributed on cryptographically secured dataways. Second Amendment or no, you needn’t look any farther than your 3D printer to exercise your right to own a gun. By the same digital token, money that goes unmonitored when used to purchase a T-shirt online goes equally unmonitored for products and services far less wholesome.
Radical freedom for everyone
Some reviewers of the film have dismissed Taaki and Wilson as scurrilous and obnoxious, nothing more than hucksters using liberty-minded philosophical discourse as a smokescreen for their chaotic worldview. While The New Radical does raise uncomfortable questions about the power of cryptographic networking protocols to circumvent established legal frameworks, such perspectives often fail to properly address them. Taaki’s contention that Bitcoin provides the world with the most liberating invention since the printing press meets counterclaims that digital currencies’ future resides in totalitarian government paradigms. Bitcoin’s trillion-dollar ecosystem speaks volumes; there’s no doubting its scale among those who embrace the idea of freedom from financial institutions. The question is: what becomes of an alternative idea, once it starts being embraced by the mainstream? In an interview with The Verge, Lough made it clear he didn’t make The New Radical in a bid to promote or condemn Wilson and Taaki’s views. Rather, he simply wanted to tell the story of their perspective. Love them or hate them; gun rights or gun safety; Bitcoin or Bank of America; Lough’s examination gives viewers the opportunity to understand and develop educated opinions about these radicals’ views rather than writing them off without a second thought. The film remains a 2017 production without later sequels.
Evolution of Privacy Tools Post-DarkWallet
Taaki’s shift from DarkWallet to DarkFi extends the original privacy themes into modern blockchain applications. DarkFi targets secret organizations and anonymous finance through zero-knowledge cryptography. This work moves beyond Bitcoin mixers toward systems designed for complete transactional anonymity. The project reflects Taaki’s continued focus on cryptographic tools that resist surveillance and centralized control. Conferences and technical presentations through 2026 show ongoing development and community interest in these methods. The trajectory demonstrates how early experiments in untraceable transactions have evolved into specialized protocols for private coordination. Privacy advocates view these advances as necessary responses to expanding state and corporate monitoring capabilities.
State-Level Responses to 3D-Printed Firearms
Recent 2025-2026 legislation in multiple states directly addresses the untraceable guns concept central to Wilson’s work. At least six states enacted new restrictions in 2026 on manufacturing and file distribution. Laws in New York, Colorado, and Washington target digital files and printer hardware specifically. These measures aim to close gaps between traditional firearms regulations and emerging digital fabrication methods. Enforcement challenges remain because files can spread rapidly online before authorities intervene. The legislative push reflects broader concerns about unserialized weapons entering circulation without background checks or registration. States continue to debate how to balance public safety requirements with existing constitutional protections for speech and arms.
Bitcoin’s Mainstream Trajectory and Volatility
The article questions mainstream adoption, and updated market data provides concrete scale and context. Bitcoin reached a market capitalization above $1.26 trillion in 2026 following a 2025 peak above $126,000 per coin. The asset has shown ongoing volatility with significant drawdowns from those highs. Institutional participation has increased, yet price swings continue to test investor confidence. Regulatory clarity varies by jurisdiction, with some governments embracing the technology and others imposing strict controls. The trajectory illustrates how an experimental currency once dismissed by traditional finance has become a major economic force despite persistent instability.
Personal and Legal Developments for Key Subjects
Wilson completed probation in 2022 with charges dismissed, allowing him to resume activities tied to Defense Distributed. Taaki remains active in privacy projects and has spoken at conferences through 2026. These developments show both subjects continuing their respective paths after the period covered in the original documentary. Wilson’s legal resolution closed a significant chapter, while Taaki’s work on DarkFi marks an extension of earlier privacy efforts. Neither figure has stepped away from the principles that defined their earlier public profiles. Their ongoing presence keeps the questions raised in The New Radical relevant to current debates.
Broader Crypto-Anarchist Influence on Policy Debates
Original questions about circumventing legal frameworks can be refreshed with ongoing state and federal responses. Federal bill S.2165 was introduced in 2025 targeting 3D gun safety. Multiple states have moved to criminalize unserialized firearms and file sharing. These legislative efforts demonstrate how crypto-anarchist experiments continue to shape regulatory conversations years after initial controversies. Policymakers cite risks of untraceable weapons and anonymous finance when advancing new restrictions. At the same time, supporters argue that such measures threaten core freedoms of speech and association. The tension between technological capability and legal control remains unresolved.
The New Radical presents Wilson and Taaki as figures who reject limits on freedom in the digital age. Their ideas have moved from fringe experiments into broader policy discussions. Updated legal responses, market data, and continued projects show the themes of the film remain active. Viewers can weigh the arguments without the film itself taking a side. The documentary’s neutral stance allows the subjects’ positions to stand on their own terms. Whether those positions represent progress or peril depends on the values each viewer brings to the questions they raise.
