Comment by kube-system
5 days ago
A "ban" is a legal prohibition. The possibility of the ban is solely a legal decision. Open weights might make it easy to violate a ban, but it does absolutely nothing to prevent one from being possible. The questions as to whether a ban would be effective hinges entirely on the ability and desire to enforce it.
I don’t think you’re wrong but I think buddy is trying to say a ban would not be enforceable because the ability aspect won’t be there, even if the will is.
That all depends on what the law actually says and the resources and will to enforce it.
Speech/information is difficult to control, but given a draconian enough law and enforcement posture, and there can be a very significant result. You can't stop everyone, but at some point you throw enough people in prison that you've effectively suppressed it.
Not that I think that would actually happen here, but it's certainly possible.