This talk is about protecting 3D printing from industries that are not excited about disruption. It will begin with an overview of the technology behind 3D printing and how the industry is developing and diversifying. It will then cover how intellectual property (IP) relates to 3D printing, and highlight the opportunities that 3D printing gives us to rethink the permission culture that has developed alongside the growth of digital copyright. The talk will end with a description of current IP conflicts connected to 3D printing and examples of steps being taken today to win allies among policymakers in Washington, DC. 3D printing has the possibility of being a widely disruptive and beneficial technology, and the last 15 years have taught us that not everyone embraces widespread disruption. It is possible that industries disrupted by 3D printing will react along the lines of those disrupted by the Internet (negatively). Fortunately, today we have the opportunity to consider what could have been done in the early days of the Internet to insulate it from some of the legal and policy attacks in DC. HOPE attendees and the hacker community at large will benefit from beginning to think through these issues today - before a problem occurs.