Future Tech Act Uses Gun Owners as Guinea Pigs
The beginnings of a Digital ID system or just a convenient place to access all of your state services and licenses?
MyMassGov is online and according to the redirect page: “The Massachusetts Gun Transaction Portal now requires a MyMassGov account…create an account or log-in to the
"Unified Gun Portal.” GOAL staff explored the website and, in their efforts to create such an account, found that in addition to having to have a computer to perform any of the required reported transactions, you must also have access to a phone number or an authenticator app - you can’t just use an email address.
In addition to the new equipment requirements necessary to exercise your rights in the Commonwealth, a plethora of personal information is required to perform even the simplest tasks on the website. Regardless of the fact that your account already contains all of your License to Carry or Firearms Identification Card information, you are still required to continually fill out forms containing personal data each time you want to make any type of transaction.
It is also not complete, while it is now possible to access your license information, apply or reapply for your license, report a transaction or request a new MIRCS serial number in the same place, there is no mechanism to access a list of what the state thinks you own. While it is fundamentally concerning that such a list would even exist anywhere, the additional worry is that if the state comes knocking on your door looking for a gun you no longer have it could shift the burden to the gun owner to prove how a gun was disposed of.
While these particular concerns are what worries our community in the immediate, the entire “MyMassGov” initiative is troubling. This new “Commonwealth Digital Roadmap” was established and funded by an act of the legislature: Ch. 139 of the Acts of 2024. Colloquially called the “Future Tech Act of 2024 (Governor’s Press Release”,” An Act to provide for the future information technology needs of Massachusetts (Senate Press release), was designed as a way to put all of your state services, licenses, etc. in one place, with one password. This is a brand-new system with very little state agency participation right now meaning: gun owners and gun license holders are the guinea pigs for a massive state infrastructure overhaul in a state that shows how much it hates us every chance it gets.
Having all of your information in one place might be convenient but the potential for unintended - or intended - consequences of this system are enormous. In an age where we are already seeing foreign countries moving towards digital identification, cell phone tracking, facial recognition and AI threats, this type of system is a harbinger for America following this trend. GOAL is definitely concerned and you should be suspicious too.