3D Printing Poses a "Grave and Growing Threat" to Privacy

Had never thought of the premise suggested here, but yes is a consideration.   Grave?  Also mentions watermarking which we also studied for retail applications.

3D Printing Poses a "Grave and Growing Threat" to Privacy, Experts Warn
University of Exeter
September 8, 2020

Researchers at Durham University and the University of Exeter in the U.K. warn that three-dimensional (3D) printing technology poses a "grave and growing threat" to individual privacy and that governments and companies are unaware of these privacy issues. Said Exeter's James Griffin, "Every physical product that is 3D-printed has the potential to be tracked in a way that has never occurred before." The study is based on 30 in-depth interviews with representatives of Chinese 3D printing companies, most of whom believed the tracking technology incorporated into 3D printing would be used to handle piracy or copyright issues, and not for invading users’ privacy. The researchers called for a voluntary code of conduct that would encourage self-regulation of 3D printing and watermarking, and a specific software component that can isolate and protect private information collected from a watermark.