like laws, one has to consider the potential for abuse/misuse in addition to the original intent.How does giving the public read access to an existing database on stolen guns cause a problem?
let's say its maintained by an unscrupulous individual (matters not whether its a gov't or private employee). You call in a serial # to check; they enter it in the search field of the 'read only' DB; While it searches, he also keys in your phone number (cause it could take a while & he might have to call you back). Search finishes, gun is clean but oh...someone added a 'save' feature; the number you called from (or the one they traced without your permission) is put in the DB with the serial #.
Maybe you buy the gun, maybe you don't.
Maybe the phone number is a throwaway cell, maybe you're calling from your Uncle's house.
Maybe that serial # and the phone # are stored in this database, maybe they aren't.
Maybe there's potential for de facto registration, maybe there isn't.
Maybe it becomes so frequently used, the gov't dept subcontracts it out private industry.
Maybe they have secure servers, and....maybe a lot of big box stores thought they did too.
I'm just saying.... :-)