Arkansas, US bans (some) body modifications: Conspiracy Fun
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Bills/SB387.pdf
This bill was apparently passed by the Arkansas State Senate in April. It effectively bans scarification and subdermal implantation by body artists.
Interesting. Once almost has to wonder if it really is simply a conservative state trying to stop people from looking funny. Hmmm...
Ok, so conspiracy theory time. Although this is at a state level, could it be the beginings of social engineering by our American Federal overlords? It would obviously apply to just about any implant we would do. Along these same lines, have you though about the show H+ and how absolutely anti-grinder anti-transhumanist it really is? If you get this implant, you will die. Nothing anyone has even proposed at this point is even remotely a threat, but hey, we are talking about a government that gave radioactive milk to mothers and told them it was a vitamin supplement. Thoughts?
Comments
As for H+, this is nothing new; the media in general tends to be anti-transhumanist. After all, out of all the movies in which a character (or characters) modify themselves in some transhumanist manner, how many times does it completely go wrong? Sure, you have movies like The Six Million Dollar Man and Inspector Gadget, but I tend to find those to be the exception rather than the rule.
And if you have a patent, you can still share your work if you choose. All it gives you is the right to exclude - you get to tell other people THEY can't do it or share it, but you still get to if you so choose.
>for ornamentation or decoration
This could be considered a legal grey area in the sense that the subdermal implants grinders get have a somewhat practical purpose. Referring to neodymium magnets and Grindhouse Wetware's Bottlenose project. Like the judicial system would care. Worse legislation is bound to come I imagine.
It's not like anybody else is using it... :P