Aaron Swartz was a computer prodigy with a vision of free and accessible knowledge for all. After being born in 1986 in Chicago, Aaron’s talent for programming manifested at an early age.
Before he was even in his teens, Aaron was involved in the development of RSS, a technology to help people consume and distribute content on the web.
Early Innovations: RSS, Creative Commons, and Reddit
He also was involved in the development of Creative Commons and Reddit, which, like RSS, realize his desire for open and democratic access to information.
However, Aaron’s most significant contribution to the world is his activism around open access, the idea that scientific, academic, and digital knowledge should not be behind a pay wall.
In 2008, he published the ‘Guerilla Open Access Manifesto,’ which is an impassioned appeal to individuals in opposition to the commodification of knowledge.
The JSTOR Incident and Legal Battle
In 2011, Aaron was arrested for downloading millions of academic papers from JSTOR while at MIT. Though there were no charges from JSTOR, the U.S. government went after Aaron aggressively.
Sensationalized media continued to add to the burden, with reports outlining Aaron could face some severe penalties and prison sentences as if to reaffirm that the state would strike down on anyone who challenged the status quo.
The Martyr of the Open Internet Movement
Under immense pressure, Aaron committed suicide in 2013 at the age of 26. Today, Aaron Swartz is considered the martyr of the open internet movement.
He embodies the ideas that encourage educators, technologists, and activists to help push the web toward being open for all.
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