View source for Aaron Swartz

{{Short description|American computer programmer and activist (1986–2013)}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{For-multi|the British actor|Aaron Swartz (actor)|other people|Aaron Schwartz (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Aaron Swartz
| image              = Aaron Swartz in 2011.jpg
| alt                = Swartz with glasses, smiling with Jason Scott (cut off from the picture from the left)
| caption            = Swartz in 2011
| birth_name         = Aaron Hillel Swartz
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1986|11|8}}
| birth_place        = [[Highland Park, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2013|01|11|1986|11|8}}
| death_place        = New York City, U.S.
| resting_place      = [[Shalom Memorial Park]], [[Arlington Heights, Illinois|Arlington Heights]], Illinois, U.S.
| resting_place_coordinates = {{coord|42|07|49.9|N|88|00|03.1|W|region:US-IL_type:landmark|display=inline}}
| death_cause        = [[Suicide by hanging]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Software developer|writer|[[internet activist]]}}
| organization       = {{hlist|[[Creative Commons]] (development)|Jottit|Bitbots|Infogami|[[Reddit]] (co-founder)|Watchdog.net|[[Open Library]]|[[SecureDrop|DeadDrop]]|[[Progressive Change Campaign Committee]]|[[Demand Progress]] (co-founder)|[[ThoughtWorks]]|[[Tor2web]]}}
| years_active       = 1999–2013
| title              = Fellow, [[Harvard University]] [[Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics]]
| partners           = {{plainlist| 
* [[Quinn Norton]] (2007–2011) 
* [[Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman]] (2011–2013) 
}}
| awards             = {{plainlist| 
*[[ArsDigita Prize]] 2000
*[[American Library Association]] [[James Madison Award]] 2013 ''(posthumously)'' 
*[[EFF Pioneer Award]] 2013 ''(posthumously)'' 
*[[Internet Hall of Fame]] 2013 ''(posthumously)'' 
}}
| website            = {{URL|http://www.aaronsw.com/|aaronsw.com}}
| education          = [[Stanford University]]<br/>(no degree)
}}

'''Aaron Hillel Swartz''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|(|ə|)|.|ɹ|ə|n|_|h|ɪ|.|ˈ|l|ɛ|l|_|ˈ|s|w|ɔɹ|t|s|audio=en-us-Aaron Hillel Swartz.oga}}; November 8, 1986{{snd}}January 11, 2013), also known as '''AaronSw''', was an American [[computer programmer]], entrepreneur, writer, political organizer, and Internet [[hacktivism|hacktivist]]. As a programmer, Swartz helped develop the [[web feed]] format [[RSS]];<ref name=":136100">{{Cite web |last=Glaser |first=April |date=2014-11-07 |title=Join Us This Weekend in Honoring Aaron Swartz's Legacy by Hacking for a Better World |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/11/weekend-join-us-honoring-legacy-aaron-swartz-hacking-better-world |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation |language=en |archive-date=February 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214170715/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/11/weekend-join-us-honoring-legacy-aaron-swartz-hacking-better-world |url-status=live}}</ref> the technical architecture for [[Creative Commons]], an organization dedicated to creating copyright licenses;<ref name=":136100" /> and the Python website framework [[web.py]]. Swartz helped define the syntax of [[lightweight markup language]] format [[Markdown]], and was a co-owner of the [[social news]] aggregation website [[Reddit]] and contributed to its development until he left the company in 2007.{{refn|Swartz's involvement in Reddit is debated. He is considered the co-founder of Reddit by [[Y Combinator]] owner [[Paul Graham (programmer)|Paul Graham]] as a result of the merger of Swartz's project Infogami and Reddit.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lagorio-Chafkin |first=Christine|title=We Are the Nerds: The Birth and Tumultuous Life of Reddit, the Internet's Culture Laboratory |publisher=Hachette Books|year=2018 |isbn=978-0-316-43540-6 |url=https://www.amazon.com/Are-Nerds-Tumultuous-Internets-Laboratory-ebook/dp/B079L5FTJD |pages=4 |access-date=May 20, 2020 |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819025024/https://www.amazon.com/Are-Nerds-Tumultuous-Internets-Laboratory-ebook/dp/B079L5FTJD |url-status=live}}</ref> With the merger of Infogami and Reddit, Swartz became a co-owner and director of parent company Not A Bug, Inc., along with Reddit cofounders [[Steve Huffman]] and [[Alexis Ohanian]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=30764772 |title=Not A Bug, Inc.: Private company information |date=October 31, 2006 |website=Bloomberg Business |access-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-date=June 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609062129/http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=30764772 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ohanian considers Swartz a co-owner of Reddit.<ref name="Wired-arrest" /><ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/d2njs/til_there_was_a_third_cofounder_of_reddit_who_was/c0x40yz |publisher=Reddit |title=Today I Learned |contribution=There was a third 'co-founder' of reddit |date=October 18, 2010 |quote=Aaron isn't a founder of reddit. |access-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-date=April 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421124704/https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/d2njs/til_there_was_a_third_cofounder_of_reddit_who_was/c0x40yz/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |group=note}} He is often credited as a [[martyr]] and a [[child prodigy|prodigy]],<ref name="martyr" /><ref name="prodigy" /> and much of his work focused on [[civil society|civic awareness]] and [[Progressivism|progressive]] [[activism]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/socvanthro |title=Sociology or Anthropology |work=Raw Thought |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116150943/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/socvanthro |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/socfunc |title=Simplistic Sociological Functionalism |work=Raw Thought |date=May 13, 2008 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116194927/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/socfunc |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34294156|website=ycombinator.com|title=What's the most important problem in the world? Are you working on it?|quote=What is the most important thing you could be working on in the world right now? ... And if you're not working on that, why aren't you?|author=Anon|year=2022|publisher=[[Hacker News]]|access-date=April 3, 2023|archive-date=April 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425114243/https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34294156|url-status=live}} Swartz may have been quoting [[Richard Hamming]]'s talk ''You and Your Research''</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/01/aaron-swartzs-politics.html | title=Aaron Swartz's Politics | date=January 14, 2013 }}</ref>

After Reddit was sold to [[Condé Nast Publications]] in 2006, Swartz became more involved in activism, helping launch the [[Progressive Change Campaign Committee]] in 2009. In 2010, he became a [[research fellow]] at [[Harvard University]]'s Safra Research Lab on Institutional Corruption, directed by [[Lawrence Lessig]].<ref name="Seidman">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/the-daily-need/internet-activist-charged-with-hacking-into-mit-network/ |title=Internet activist charged with hacking into MIT network |first=Bianca |last=Seidman |date=July 22, 2011 |publisher=Public Broadcasting Service |location=Arlington, Va. |quote=[Swartz] was in the middle of a fellowship at Harvard's Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, in its Lab on Institutional Corruption |access-date=August 23, 2017 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107022510/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/the-daily-need/internet-activist-charged-with-hacking-into-mit-network/ |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="safra">{{cite web |url=http://ethics.harvard.edu/people/show-bio/all/352?layout=showbio |title=Lab Fellows 2010–2011: Aaron Swartz |year=2010 |work=Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics |publisher=Harvard University|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529001045/http://ethics.harvard.edu/people/show-bio/all/352?layout=showbio|archive-date=May 29, 2013|quote=During the fellowship year, he will conduct experimental and ethnographic studies of the political system to prepare a monograph on the mechanisms of political corruption.}}</ref> He founded the online group [[Demand Progress]], known for its campaign against the [[Stop Online Piracy Act]].

On January 6, 2011, Swartz was arrested by [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department|Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) police]] on state breaking-and-entering charges, after connecting a computer to the MIT network in an unmarked and unlocked closet and setting it to download [[academic journal]] articles from [[JSTOR]] using a guest user account issued to him by MIT.<ref name="gerstein">{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2011/07/mit-also-pressing-charges-against-hacking-suspect-037709|title=MIT also pressing charges against hacking suspect|last=Gerstein|first=Josh|date=July 22, 2011|work=Politico|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912185122/https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2011/07/mit-also-pressing-charges-against-hacking-suspect-037709|archive-date=September 12, 2015|access-date=August 27, 2019|quote=[Swartz's] alleged use of MIT facilities and Web connections to access the JSTOR database ... resulted in two state felony charges for breaking into a 'depository' and breaking & entering in the daytime, according to local prosecutors.}}</ref><ref name="IncidentReport">{{cite court |litigants=Commonwealth v. Swartz |opinion=11-52CR73 & 11-52CR75 |pinpoint=MIT Police Incident Report 11-351 |court=[[Massachusetts District Court|Mass. Dist. Ct.]] |date=nolle prosequi December 16, 2011 |url=http://mitcrimeclub.org/SwartzFilings-state.pdf |quote=Captain Albert P[...] and Special Agent Pickett were able to apprehend the suspect at 24 Lee Street.... He was arrested for two counts of Breaking and Entering in the daytime with the intent to commit a felony.... |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323203642/http://mitcrimeclub.org/SwartzFilings-state.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Federal prosecutors, led by [[Carmen Ortiz]], charged him with two counts of [[Mail and wire fraud#Wire|wire fraud]] and eleven violations of the [[Computer Fraud and Abuse Act]],<ref name="Indictment" /> carrying a cumulative maximum penalty of $1&nbsp;million in fines, 35{{nbsp}}years in prison, [[asset forfeiture]], [[restitution]], and [[United States federal probation and supervised release|supervised release]].<ref name="SwartzAaronPR" /> Swartz declined a [[plea bargain]] under which he would have served six months in federal prison.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Timothy |first1=Lee |title=Aaron Swartz and the Corrupt Practice of Plea Bargaining |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timothylee/2013/01/17/aaron-swartz-and-the-corrupt-practice-of-plea-bargaining/ |website=Forbes |access-date=27 September 2020 |archive-date=October 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007142901/https://www.forbes.com/sites/timothylee/2013/01/17/aaron-swartz-and-the-corrupt-practice-of-plea-bargaining/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Two days after the prosecution rejected a counter-offer by Swartz, he was found dead in his [[Brooklyn]] apartment.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Aaron Swartz, Tech Prodigy and Internet Activist, Is Dead at 26 |url=https://business.time.com/2013/01/13/tech-prodigy-and-internet-activist-aaron-swartz-commits-suicide/ |magazine=Time |access-date=January 13, 2013 |date=January 13, 2013 |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021193318/http://business.time.com/2013/01/13/tech-prodigy-and-internet-activist-aaron-swartz-commits-suicide/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21001452 |title=Aaron Swartz, internet freedom activist, dies aged 26 |work=BBC News |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113035949/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21001452 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, Swartz was inducted posthumously into the [[Internet Hall of Fame]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.internethalloffame.org/press/latest-news/internet-hall-fame-announces-2013-inductees |title=Internet Hall of Fame Announces 2013 Inductees |date=June 26, 2013 |publisher=[[Internet Hall of Fame]] |access-date=August 3, 2013 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321201839/https://www.internethalloffame.org//press/latest-news/internet-hall-fame-announces-2013-inductees |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Early life ==

[[File:Aaron Swartz and Lawrence Lessig.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Swartz in 2002 with [[Lawrence Lessig]] at the launch party for [[Creative Commons]]]]

[[File:Aaron Swartz - The Network Transformation.webm|thumb|Swartz describes the nature of the shift from centralized one-to-many systems to the decentralized many-to-many topology of network communication. San Francisco, April 2007 (9:29)]]

Aaron Hillel Swartz<ref name="yearwood" /> was born in [[Highland Park, Illinois|Highland Park]], {{convert|25|mi|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} north of [[Chicago]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://patch.com/illinois/evanston/aaron-swartz-remembered-as-internet-activist-who-chanf229b36e26 |title=Aaron Swartz Remembered as Internet Activist who Changed the World |last1=Skaggs |first1=Paula |date=January 16, 2013 |publisher=Patch |access-date=November 23, 2015 |archive-date=December 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215052636/https://patch.com/illinois/evanston/aaron-swartz-remembered-as-internet-activist-who-chanf229b36e26 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-20130215?page=2 |title=The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of Aaron Swartz |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 15, 2013 |access-date=August 23, 2017 |archive-date=October 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004140052/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-20130215?page=2 |url-status=live}}</ref> to a Jewish family.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://israelilifeusa.com/hi-tech/2298 |title=By Eternity Solomon, January 13, 2013, Israeli Life USA |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=February 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015232/http://israelilifeusa.com/hi-tech/2298 |url-status=live}}</ref> He was the eldest child of Susan and Robert Swartz and brother to Noah and Ben Swartz.<ref name="yearwood">{{cite news |last=Yearwood |first=Pauline |title=Brilliant life, tragic death |newspaper=Chicago Jewish News |page=1 |date=February 22, 2013 |url=http://chicagojewishnews.com/story.htm?sid=1&id=255829 |quote=Aaron Hillel Swartz was not depressed or suicidal ... a rabbi's wife who has known him since he was a child says.... At age 13 he won the ArsDigita Prize, a competition for young people who create noncommercial websites....|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017101458/http://chicagojewishnews.com/story.htm?sid=1&id=255829 |archive-date=October 17, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Folkhero">{{cite news |title=Aaron Swartz dies at 26; Internet folk hero founded Reddit |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-0113-aaron-swartz-20130113,0,5232490.story |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=January 12, 2013 |first=Valerie J. |last=Nelson |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=January 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113060034/http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-0113-aaron-swartz-20130113,0,5232490.story |url-status=live}}</ref> His father founded the software firm [[Mark Williams Company]]. At an early age, Swartz immersed himself in the study of computers, programming, the Internet, and [[Cyberculture|Internet culture]].<ref name="Life Story">{{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |title=How to get a job like mine |work=(blog) |publisher=Aaron Swartz |date=September 27, 2007 |url=https://aaronsw.jottit.com/howtoget |quote=We negotiated for months....&nbsp;I started going crazy from having to think so much about money....&nbsp;The company almost fell apart before the deal went through. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011001237/https://aaronsw.jottit.com/howtoget |archive-date=October 11, 2007}}</ref> He attended [[North Shore Country Day School]], a small private school near Chicago, until ninth grade,<ref>{{cite news |title=Reddit co-creator Aaron Swartz dies from suicide |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/01/13/reddit-co-creator-aaron-swartz-dies-from-suicide/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=January 14, 2013 |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409001954/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-13/news/chi-aaron-swartz-dead_1_reddit-computer-network-websites |url-status=live}}</ref> when he left high school and enrolled in courses at [[Lake Forest College]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Skaggs |first=Paula |title=Internet activist Aaron Swartz's teachers remember 'brilliant' student |newspaper=Patch |location=Northbrook, Ill. |date=January 15, 2013 |url=http://patch.com/illinois/desplaines/internet-activist-aaron-swartzs-teachers-remember-bric9fb0cae20 |quote=Swartz ... attended North Shore Country Day School through 9th grade. |access-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-date=November 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104170123/https://patch.com/illinois/desplaines/internet-activist-aaron-swartzs-teachers-remember-bric9fb0cae20 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |title=It's always cool to run... |work=Weblog |publisher=Aaron Swartz |date=January 14, 2002 |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/000101 |quote=I would have been in 10th grade this year....&nbsp;Now I'm taking a couple of classes at a local college. |access-date=March 23, 2013 |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031143009/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/000101 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1999, at age 12, he created the website The Info Network, a user-generated encyclopedia.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of Aaron Swarz |date=February 15, 2013 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-177191/ |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=April 14, 2021|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727183405/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-177191/ |archive-date=July 27, 2018}}</ref> The site won the [[ArsDigita Prize]], given to young people who create "useful, educational, and collaborative" noncommercial websites and led to early recognition of Swartz's nascent talent in coding.<ref name="yearwood" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://arsdigita.org/prize/2000/ |title=Second ArsDigita Prize 2000 Finalists and Winners |date=December 1, 2001 |access-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011201060346/http://arsdigita.org/prize/2000/ |archive-date=December 1, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schofield |first=Jack |title=Aaron Swartz obituary |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=January 13, 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jan/13/aaron-swartz |quote=At 13 [he] won an ArsDigita prize for creating a non-commercial website. |access-date=December 10, 2016 |archive-date=September 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920135628/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jan/13/aaron-swartz |url-status=live}}</ref> At age 14, he became a member of the [[RSS-DEV Working Group|working group]] that authored the [[RSS|RSS 1.0]] [[web syndication]] [[Formal specification|specification]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=RSS creator Aaron Swartz dead at 26 |url=http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/01/rss-creator-aaron-swartz-dead-at-26 |journal=Harvard Magazine |date=January 14, 2013 |quote=Swartz helped create RSS—a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works (blog entries, news headlines, ...) in a standardized format—at the age of 14. |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-date=November 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128082901/https://harvardmagazine.com/2013/01/rss-creator-aaron-swartz-dead-at-26 |url-status=live}}</ref> A year later, he became involved in the [[Creative Commons]] organization.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/36298 |title=Remembering Aaron Swartz |last=Lessig |first=Lawrence |date=January 12, 2013 |website=Creative Commons |quote=Aaron was one of the early architects of Creative Commons. As a teenager, he helped design the code layer to our licenses... |access-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-date=December 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204034753/http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/36298 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2004, he enrolled at [[Stanford University]] but left the school after his first year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/01/13/aaron-swartz-prodigy-and-drop-out-takes-own-life/ |title=Aaron Swartz, prodigy and drop-out, takes own life |last=Sekhri |first=Aaron |date=January 14, 2013 |website=The Stanford Daily |access-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320192105/https://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/01/13/aaron-swartz-prodigy-and-drop-out-takes-own-life/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Entrepreneurship ===

During Swartz's first year at Stanford, he applied to [[Y&nbsp;Combinator]]'s first Summer Founders Program, proposing to work on a startup called Infogami, a flexible [[content management system]] designed to create rich and visually interesting websites<ref name="starsrise">{{cite magazine |last=Ryan |first=Singel |title=Stars Rise at Startup Summer Camp |magazine=Wired |access-date=December 19, 2014 |date=September 13, 2005 |url=http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2005/09/68710 |archive-date=November 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141130005503/http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2005/09/68710 |url-status=live}}</ref> or a form of [[semantic wiki|wiki for structured data]]. After working on it with co-founder Simon Carstensen over the summer of 2005, Swartz opted not to return to Stanford, choosing instead to continue to develop and seek funding for Infogami.<ref name="starsrise" />

As part of his work on Infogami, Swartz created the web.py [[web application framework]] because he was unhappy with other available systems in the [[Python (programming language)|Python programming language]]. In the early fall of 2005, he worked with his fellow co-founders of another nascent Y-Combinator firm, [[Reddit]], to rewrite its [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]] codebase using Python and web.py. Although Infogami's platform was abandoned after Not a Bug was acquired, Infogami's software was used to support the [[Internet Archive]]'s [[Open Library]] project and the web.py web framework was used as the basis for many other projects by Swartz and many others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/2621361/application-development/pillars-of-python--web-py-web-framework.html |title=Pillars of Python: Web.py Web framework |last=Grehan |first=Rick |date=August 10, 2011 |website=InfoWorld |quote=Web.py, the brainchild of Aaron Swartz, who developed it while working at Reddit.com, describes itself as a 'minimalist's framework.' ... Test Center Scorecard: Capability 7; Ease of Development 9; Documentation 7; ...; Overall Score 7.6, Good. |access-date=May 29, 2015 |archive-date=November 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128082842/https://www.infoworld.com/article/2621361/application-development/pillars-of-python--web-py-web-framework.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

When Infogami failed to find further funding, Y-Combinator organizers suggested Infogami merge with Reddit,<ref name="infogami2007">{{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |title=Introducing Infogami |work=Infogami |publisher=CondeNet |year=2007 |url=http://infogami.com/blog/introduction |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224194042/http://infogami.com/blog/introduction |archive-date=December 24, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A passion for your users brings good karma: (Interview with) Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of reddit.com |work=StartupStories |date=November 11, 2006 |url=http://startupstories.com/2006/11/29/passion-for-your-users-will-come-back-alexis-ohanian-co-founder-of-reddit/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823200504/http://startupstories.com/2006/11/29/passion-for-your-users-will-come-back-alexis-ohanian-co-founder-of-reddit/ |archive-date=August 23, 2007}}</ref> which it did in November 2005, creating a new firm, Not a Bug, devoted to promoting both products.<ref name="infogami2007" /><ref name="Wired-arrest" /> As a result, Swartz was given the title of co-founder of Reddit. Although both projects initially struggled, Reddit made large gains in popularity in 2005{{ndash}}2006.

In October 2006, based largely on Reddit's success, Not a Bug was acquired by [[Condé Nast Publications]], owner of ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' magazine.<ref name="Life Story" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Breaking News: Condé Nast/Wired Acquires Reddit |work=Techcrunch |date=October 31, 2006 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2006/10/31/breaking-news-conde-nastwired-acquires-reddit/ |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-date=February 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215091751/https://techcrunch.com/2006/10/31/breaking-news-conde-nastwired-acquires-reddit/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz moved with his company to San Francisco to continue to work on Reddit for ''Wired''.<ref name="Life Story" /> He found corporate office life uncongenial and in January 2007 was asked to resign from the company.<ref name="A Chat with Aaron Swartz" /> In September 2007, he joined Infogami co-founder Simon Carstensen to launch a new firm, Jottit, in another attempt to create a [[Markdown]]-driven [[content management system]] in Python.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/2q1nf/aaron_swartzs_jottit_has_been_officially_released/ |title=Aaron Swartz's Jottit has been officially released |year=2007 |website=Reddit |access-date=October 20, 2015 |archive-date=April 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418044705/https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/2q1nf/aaron_swartzs_jottit_has_been_officially_released/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Activism==
In 2008, Swartz founded Watchdog.net, "the good government site with teeth", to aggregate and visualize data about politicians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/sj/2011/07/24/aaron-swartz-v-united-states/ |title=Aaron Swartz vs. United States |last=Klein |first=Sam |date=July 24, 2011 |work=The Longest Now |publisher=Weblogs at Harvard Law School |quote=He founded watchdog.net to aggregate ... data about politicians – including where their money comes from. |access-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-date=January 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129051529/http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/sj/2011/07/24/aaron-swartz-v-united-states/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://watchdog.net/about/team |title=The team |website=Watchdog.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223064412/http://watchdog.net/about/team|archive-date=December 23, 2008|quote=Founder Aaron Swartz ... We're funded by a grant from the Sunlight Network and the Sunlight Foundation.}}</ref> That year, he wrote a widely circulated ''[[Guerilla Open Access Manifesto]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/life-inside-the-aaron-swartz-investigation/273654/ |title=Life inside the Aaron Swartz investigation |last=Norton |first=Quinn |date=March 3, 2013 |newspaper=The Atlantic |access-date=March 8, 2013 |location=D.C. |author-link=Quinn Norton |archive-date=June 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015404/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/life-inside-the-aaron-swartz-investigation/273654/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Guard" /><ref name="OAGM" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/news/424780/guerilla-activist-releases-18000-scientific-papers/ |title='Guerilla activist' releases 18,000 scientific papers |last=Murphy |first=Samantha |date=July 22, 2011 |newspaper=MIT Technology Review |quote=In a 2008 'Guerilla Open Access Manifesto,' Swartz called for activists to 'fight back' against services that held academic papers hostage behind paywalls. |access-date=February 6, 2013 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020932/http://www.technologyreview.com/news/424780/guerilla-activist-releases-18000-scientific-papers/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 27, 2010, he filed a [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|Freedom of Information Act]] (FOIA) request to learn about the treatment of [[Chelsea Manning]], alleged source for [[WikiLeaks]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pubrecord.org/nation/10676/aaron-swartzs-requests-light-struggle/ |title=Aaron Swartz's FOIA Requests Shed Light on His Struggle |last=Leopold |first=Jason |date=January 18, 2013 |work=[[The Public Record (newspaper)|The Public Record]] |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122000933/http://pubrecord.org/nation/10676/aaron-swartzs-requests-light-struggle/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/records-related-to-bradley-manning-426/ |title=FOI Request: Records related to Bradley Manning |work=Muckrock |date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017104937/https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/records-related-to-bradley-manning-426/ |url-status=live}}</ref> His activism has been praised by digital rights groups such as the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation|Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)]].<ref name=":136100" />

=== PACER ===

In 2008, Swartz downloaded about 2.7&nbsp;million [[United States federal courts|federal court]] documents stored in the [[PACER (law)|PACER]] (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) database managed by the [[Administrative Office of the United States Courts]].<ref name="arstechnica.com">Lee, Timothy B.,[https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/02/the-inside-story-of-aaron-swartzs-campaign-to-liberate-court-filings/ ''The inside story of Aaron Swartz's campaign to liberate court filings''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616231326/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/02/the-inside-story-of-aaron-swartzs-campaign-to-liberate-court-filings/ |date=June 16, 2018}}, [[Ars Technica]], February 8, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2013.</ref> The ''Huffington Post'' characterized his actions this way: "Swartz downloaded public court documents from the PACER system in an effort to make them available outside of the expensive service. The move drew the attention of the FBI, which ultimately decided not to press charges as the documents were, in fact, public."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/07/darrell-issa-internet-freedom_n_2633197.html |title=Darrell Issa Praises Aaron Swartz, Internet Freedom at Memorial |author=Will Wrigley |date=February 7, 2013 |access-date=February 21, 2013 |work=HuffPost |archive-date=February 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211193326/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/07/darrell-issa-internet-freedom_n_2633197.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

PACER was charging eight cents per page for information that [[Carl Malamud]], who founded the nonprofit group [[Public.Resource.Org]], contended should be free, because federal documents are not covered by copyright.<ref name="Schwartz2009" /><ref name="Singel2009" /> The fees were "plowed back to the courts to finance technology, but the system [ran] a budget surplus of some $150&nbsp;million, according to court reports," reported ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref name="Schwartz2009" /> PACER used technology that was "designed in the bygone days of screechy telephone modems ... putting the nation's legal system behind a wall of cash and kludge."<ref name="Schwartz2009" /> Malamud appealed to fellow activists, urging them to visit one of 17 libraries conducting a free trial of the PACER system, download court documents, and send them to him for public distribution.<ref name="Schwartz2009" />

After reading Malamud's call for action,<ref name="Schwartz2009" /> Swartz used a [[Scripting language#General-purpose dynamic languages|Perl computer script]] running on [[Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud|Amazon cloud servers]] to download the documents, using credentials belonging to a Sacramento library.<ref name="arstechnica.com" /> From September 4 to 20, 2008, it accessed documents and uploaded them to a [[cloud computing]] service. He released the documents to Malamud's organization.<ref name="Singel2009" />

On September 29, 2008, the [[United States Government Printing Office|GPO]] suspended the free trial, "pending an evaluation" of the program. Swartz's actions were subsequently investigated by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]].<ref name="Schwartz2009" /><ref name="Singel2009" /> The case was closed after two months with no charges filed.<ref name="Singel2009" /> Swartz learned the details of the investigation after filing a FOIA request with the FBI, and described their response as the "usual mess of confusions that shows the FBI's lack of sense of humor."<ref name="Singel2009" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/nov/11/recap-us-courtrooms |title=Recap: Cracking open US courtrooms |last=Johnson |first=Bobbie |date=November 11, 2009 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |access-date=December 10, 2016 |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008175057/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/nov/11/recap-us-courtrooms |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=RECAP Project — Turning PACER Around Since 2009 |url=https://free.law/recap/ |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=Free Law Project |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220014214/https://free.law/recap |url-status=live}}</ref>

At a 2013 memorial for Swartz, Malamud recalled their work with PACER. They brought millions of U.S. District Court records out from behind PACER's "pay wall", he said, and found them full of privacy violations, including medical records and the names of minor children and confidential informants.

{{blockquote |quote=We sent our results to the Chief Judges of 31 District Courts ... They redacted those documents and they yelled at the lawyers that filed them ... The Judicial Conference changed their privacy rules. ... [To] the bureaucrats who ran the Administrative Office of the United States Courts ... we were thieves that took $1.6&nbsp;million of their property.
So they called the FBI ... [The FBI] found nothing wrong ...<ref>{{cite speech |title=Aaron's Army |first=Carl |last=Malamud |event=Memorial for Aaron Swartz at the Internet Archive |location=San Francisco |date=January 24, 2013 |url=https://public.resource.org/aaron/army/index.html |access-date=January 27, 2013 |archive-date=September 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911152316/https://public.resource.org/aaron/army/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref>}}

A more detailed account of his collaboration with Swartz on the PACER project appears in an essay on Malamud's website.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://public.resource.org/crime/ |title=On Crime and Access to Knowledge: An Unpublished Essay |last=Malamud |first=Carl |date=March 30, 2013 |access-date=March 17, 2015 |archive-date=March 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326082803/https://public.resource.org/crime/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Writing in ''[[Ars Technica]]'', Timothy Lee,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timothyblee.com/about-me/|title=Timothy Lee (Bio)|access-date=May 6, 2016|archive-date=October 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008135004/http://timothyblee.com/about-me/|url-status=live}}</ref> who later made use of the documents obtained by Swartz as a co-creator of RECAP, offered some insight into discrepancies in reports on how much data Swartz downloaded: "In a back-of-the-envelope calculation a few days before the offsite crawl was shut down, Swartz guessed he got around 25 percent of the documents in PACER. ''The New York Times'' similarly reported Swartz had downloaded "an estimated 20 percent of the entire database". Based on the facts that Swartz downloaded 2.7{{nbsp}}million documents while PACER, at the time, contained 500 million, Lee concluded that Swartz downloaded less than one percent of the database.<ref name="arstechnica.com" />

===Progressive Change Campaign Committee===
In 2009, wanting to learn about effective activism, Swartz helped launch the [[Progressive Change Campaign Committee]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://boldprogressives.org/2013/01/progressive-change-campaign-committee-statement-on-the-passing-of-aaron-swartz/ |title=Progressive Change Campaign Committee Statement on the Passing of Aaron Swartz |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082942/http://boldprogressives.org/2013/01/progressive-change-campaign-committee-statement-on-the-passing-of-aaron-swartz |url-status=live}}</ref> He wrote in his blog: "I spend my days experimenting with new ways to get [[Progressivism|progressive]] policies enacted and progressive politicians elected."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/pcccjob |title=How to Get a Job Like Mine (Aaron Swartz's Raw Thought) |website=aaronsw.com |year=2007|last=Swartz |first=Aaron|access-date=July 11, 2013 |archive-date=2018-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031034221/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/pcccjob |url-status=live|quote=Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. I think a lot of what people call intelligence just boils down to curiosity}}</ref> He led the first [[activism]] event of his career with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, delivering thousands of "Honor Kennedy" petition signatures to Massachusetts legislators, asking them to fulfill former Senator [[Ted Kennedy]]'s last wish by appointing a senator to vote for [[Obamacare|healthcare reform]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhSp2zp9GtY |title=Victory! HonorKennedy.com |last=BoldProgressives |date=September 23, 2009 |via=YouTube |access-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-date=April 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423222429/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhSp2zp9GtY |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Demand Progress ===
In 2010,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/01/farewell-aaron-swartz |title=Farewell to Aaron Swartz, an Extraordinary Hacker and activist |last=Eckersley |first=Peter |date=January 12, 2013 |work=Deeplinks Blog |publisher=Electronic Frontier Foundation |access-date=May 29, 2013 |archive-date=November 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125100145/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/01/farewell-aaron-swartz |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz co-founded [[Demand Progress]],<ref name="ibt" /> a political advocacy group that organizes people online to "take action by contacting Congress and other leaders, funding pressure tactics, and spreading the word" about civil liberties, government reform, and other issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://demandprogress.org/about/ |title=Our Mission |work=Demand Progress |format=blog |access-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-date=October 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029130047/https://demandprogress.org/about/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

During academic year 2010–11, Swartz conducted research studies on political corruption as a Lab Fellow in Harvard University's Edmond J. Safra Research Lab on Institutional Corruption.<ref name="Seidman" /><ref name="safra" />

Author [[Cory Doctorow]], in his novel ''[[Homeland (Cory Doctorow novel)|Homeland]]'', "drew on advice from Swartz in setting out how his protagonist could use the information now available about voters to create a grass-roots anti-establishment political campaign."<ref name="Homeland">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/homeland-by-cory-doctorow/2013/02/01/59ea6af0-67ec-11e2-9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.html |title='Homeland,' by Cory Doctorow |last=Sleight |first=Graham |date=February 1, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |quote=As Doctorow made clear in his eloquent obituary, he drew on advice from Swartz in setting out how his protagonist could use the information now available about voters to create a grass-roots anti-establishment political campaign. ... One of the book's two afterwords is by Swartz. |access-date=August 23, 2017 |archive-date=June 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616204240/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/homeland-by-cory-doctorow/2013/02/01/59ea6af0-67ec-11e2-9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In an [[afterword]] to the novel, Swartz wrote: "These political [[hacktivist]] tools can be used by anyone motivated and talented enough.... Now it's up to you to change the system. ... Let me know if I can help."<ref name="Homeland" />

===Opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)===
[[File:AaronSwartzPIPA.jpg|thumb|right|Swartz in 2012 protesting against the [[Stop Online Piracy Act]] (SOPA), along with [[Occupy Wall Street]] movement]]
Swartz was involved in the campaign to prevent passage of the [[Stop Online Piracy Act]] (SOPA), which sought to combat Internet copyright violations but was criticized on the basis that it would make it easier for the U.S. government to shut down web sites accused of violating copyright and would place intolerable burdens on Internet providers.<ref name="stuff1" /> After the bill's defeat, Swartz was the keynote speaker at the F2C:Freedom to Connect 2012 event in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2012. In his speech, "How We Stopped SOPA", he said:

{{blockquote |<poem>This bill ... shut down whole websites. Essentially, it stopped Americans from communicating entirely with certain groups....
I called all my friends, and we stayed up all night setting up a website for this new group, Demand Progress, with an online petition opposing this noxious bill.... We [got] ... 300,000 signers.... We met with the staff of members of Congress and pleaded with them.... And then it passed unanimously....
And then, suddenly, the process stopped. Senator [[Ron Wyden]] ... put a hold on the bill.<ref name="F2c2">{{cite web |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/14/freedom_to_connect_aaron_swartz_1986 |title=How we stopped SOPA |first=Aaron |last=Swartz |date=May 21, 2012 |work=Keynote address at the Freedom To Connect 2012 conference |publisher=[[Democracy Now!]] |location=New York |format=video |quote=[T]he 'Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeiting Act' ... was introduced on September 20th, 2010....&nbsp;And [then] it began being called PIPA, and eventually SOPA. |access-date=January 27, 2013 |archive-date=November 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101140241/https://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/14/freedom_to_connect_aaron_swartz_1986 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="agdemnow">{{cite AV media |people=Aaron Swartz (interviewee) & Amy Goodman |title=Freedom to Connect: Aaron Swartz (1986–2013) on victory to save open Internet, fight online censors |medium=Video |publisher=Democracy Now |location=N.Y.C. |date=May 21, 2012 |url=http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2013/1/14/freedom_to_connect_aaron_swartz_1986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120182634/http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2013/1/14/freedom_to_connect_aaron_swartz_1986 |archive-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref></poem>}}

He added, "We won this fight because everyone made themselves the hero of their own story. Everyone took it as their job to save this crucial freedom."<ref name="F2c2" /><ref name="agdemnow" /> He was referring to a series of protests against the bill by numerous websites, described by the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] as the biggest protest in Internet history, with over 115,000 sites participating according to the nonprofit organization [[Fight for the Future]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Wortham |first=Jenna |date=2012-01-20 |title=Public Outcry Over Antipiracy Bills Began as Grass-Roots Grumbling |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/technology/public-outcry-over-antipiracy-bills-began-as-grass-roots-grumbling.html |access-date=2024-01-18 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180609104200/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/technology/public-outcry-over-antipiracy-bills-began-as-grass-roots-grumbling.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz also spoke on the topic at an event organized by [[ThoughtWorks]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl0vHBsapBc |title=How we stopped SOPA |first=Aaron |last=Swartz |date=August 16, 2012 |work=Speech at ThoughtWorks New York |publisher=[[Yahoo!]] |format=video |access-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615100539/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl0vHBsapBc |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Wikipedia ===
[[File:Aaron Swartz at Boston Wikipedia Meetup, 2009-08-18.jpg|thumb|Swartz at the Boston Wikipedia Meetup in 2009]]

Swartz participated in Wikipedia beginning in August 2003 under the username AaronSw.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thewikipedian.net/2013/01/14/remembering-aaron-swartz/ |title=Remembering Aaron Swartz |newspaper=The Wikipedian |date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-date=January 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113232502/http://thewikipedian.net/2013/01/14/remembering-aaron-swartz/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, he ran unsuccessfully for the [[Wikimedia Foundation]]'s Board of Trustees.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/Board_elections/2006/Results/en&direction=next&oldid=439637 |title=Wikimedia Foundation elections/Board elections/2006/Results/en |work=Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Election |date=September 24, 2006 |quote=6th – 423 (18%) – AaronSw (Aaron Swartz) |access-date=August 17, 2016 |archive-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415092740/https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_Foundation_elections%2FBoard_elections%2F2006%2FResults%2Fen&direction=next&oldid=439637 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2006, Swartz wrote an analysis of how Wikipedia articles are written, and concluded that the bulk of its content came from tens of thousands of occasional contributors, or "outsiders," each of whom made few other contributions to the site, while a core group of 500 to 1,000 regular editors tended to correct spelling and other formatting errors.<ref name="whowriteswikipedia">{{cite web |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/whowriteswikipedia |title=Who Writes Wikipedia? |work=Raw Thought |first=Aaron |last=Swartz |date=September 4, 2006 |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803134036/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/whowriteswikipedia |archive-date=August 3, 2014}}</ref> He said: "The formatters aid the contributors, not the other way around."<ref name="whowriteswikipedia" /><ref>{{cite news |author-link=Henry Blodget |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/1/who-the-hell-writes-wikipedia-anyway |title=Who The Hell Writes Wikipedia, Anyway? |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=January 3, 2009 |access-date=January 12, 2013 |last=Blodget |first=Henry |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730101023/http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/1/who-the-hell-writes-wikipedia-anyway |url-status=live}}</ref> His conclusions, based on the analysis of edit histories of several randomly selected articles, contradicted the opinion of Wikipedia co-founder [[Jimmy Wales]], who believed the core group of regular editors provided most of the content while thousands of others contributed to formatting issues. Swartz came to his conclusions by counting the number of characters editors added to particular articles, while Wales counted the total number of edits.<ref name="whowriteswikipedia" />

=== WikiLeaks ===
In January 2013, shortly after he died, [[WikiLeaks]] said that Aaron Swartz had helped WikiLeaks and talked to [[Julian Assange]] in 2010 and 2011. WikiLeaks also said they had "strong reasons to believe, but cannot prove" he may have been a source, possibly breaking WikiLeaks' rules about source anonymity. WikiLeaks may have made the statements to imply that Swartz was targeted by the US Attorney's Office and Secret Service in order to get at WikiLeaks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Carmody |first=Tim |date=2013-01-19 |title=WikiLeaks claims Aaron Swartz was an ally and possible source, breaking anonymity |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/19/3893268/wikileaks-tweets-aaron-swartz-was-ally-and-possibly-source |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411044410/http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/19/3893268/wikileaks-tweets-aaron-swartz-was-ally-and-possibly-source |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=WikiLeaks says Aaron Swartz may have been a 'source' |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/wikileaks-says-aaron-swartz-may-have-been-a-source/ |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311180653/https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/wikileaks-says-aaron-swartz-may-have-been-a-source/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== ''United States v. Aaron Swartz''==
{{main|United States v. Swartz}}
{{see also|#Open Access|JSTOR}}

According to state and federal authorities, Swartz used [[JSTOR]], a [[digital repository]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp |title=Terms and Conditions of Use |date=January 15, 2013 |work=JSTOR |publisher=ITHAKA |location=New York |quote=JSTOR's integrated digital platform is a trusted digital repository providing for long-term preservation and access to ... scholarly materials: journal issues ...; manuscripts and monographs; ...; spatial/geographic information systems data; plant specimens; ... |access-date=August 29, 2017 |archive-date=September 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916071433/http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp |url-status=live}}</ref> to download a large number{{refn|The MIT network administration office told MIT police that "approximately 70 gigabytes of data had been downloaded, 98% of which was from JSTOR."<ref name="IncidentReport" /> The first federal indictment alleged "approximately 4.8&nbsp;million articles", "1.7&nbsp;million" of which "were made available by independent publishers for purchase through JSTOR's Publisher Sales Service."<ref name="Indictment" /> The subsequent DOJ press release alleged "over four million articles". The superseding indictment removed the estimates and instead characterized the amount as "a major portion of the total archive in which JSTOR had invested."<ref name="Indictment" /> |group=note}} of [[academic journal]] articles through MIT's computer network over the course of a few weeks in late 2010 and early 2011. Visitors to MIT's "open campus" were authorized to access JSTOR through its network;<ref name="macfarquhar" /> Swartz, as a research fellow at Harvard University, also had a JSTOR account.<ref name="Indictment" />

=== Article download ===

On September 25, 2010, the [[IP address]] 18.55.6.215, part of the MIT network, began sending hundreds of PDF download requests per minute to the JSTOR website, enough to slow the site's performance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 136. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n136 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> This prompted a block of the IP address. In the morning, another IP address, also from within the MIT network, began sending more PDF download requests, resulting in a temporary block on the [[Firewall (computing)|firewall]] level of all MIT computers in the entire [[List of assigned /8 IPv4 address blocks|18.0.0.0/8 range]]. A JSTOR employee emailed MIT on September 29, 2010:

{{Blockquote|text=Note that this was an extreme case. We typically suspend just one individual IP at a time and do that relatively infrequently (perhaps 6 on a busy day, from 7000+ institutional subscribers). In this case, we saw a performance hit on the live site, which I have only seen about 3 or 4 times in my 5 years here.

The pattern used was to create a new session for each PDF download or every few, which was terribly efficient, but not terribly subtle. In the end, we saw over 200K sessions in one hour's time during the peak.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 134. |last=JSTOR |date=30 July 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n134 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> }}

According to authorities, Swartz downloaded the documents through a laptop connected to a networking switch in a controlled-access [[wiring closet]] at MIT.<ref name="IncidentReport" /><ref name="Indictment" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Feds: Harvard fellow hacked millions of papers |first=Jay |last=Lindsay |url=https://news.yahoo.com/feds-harvard-fellow-hacked-millions-papers-203301454.html |agency=Associated Press |location=Boston |date=July 19, 2011 |access-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116122908/http://news.yahoo.com/feds-harvard-fellow-hacked-millions-papers-203301454.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=JSTOR Statement: Misuse Incident and Criminal Case |url=http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-and-criminal-case |publisher=JSTOR |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112202533/http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-and-criminal-case |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="cohen">{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Noam |title=How M.I.T. ensnared a hacker, bucking a freewheeling culture |page=A1 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 20, 2013 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/technology/how-mit-ensnared-a-hacker-bucking-a-freewheeling-culture.html |quote='Suspect is seen on camera entering network closet' [in an unlocked building] ... Within a mile of MIT ... he was stopped by an MIT police captain and [U.S. Secret Service agent] Pickett. |url-access=registration |access-date=February 23, 2017 |archive-date=October 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006015439/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/technology/how-mit-ensnared-a-hacker-bucking-a-freewheeling-culture.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The closet's door was kept unlocked, according to press reports.<ref name="macfarquhar">{{cite news |author=Larissa MacFarquhar |title=Requiem for a dream: The tragedy of Aaron Swartz |newspaper=The New Yorker |date=March 11, 2013 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/03/11/130311fa_fact_macfarquhar |archive-date=July 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721140126/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/03/11/requiem-for-a-dream |url-access=limited |quote=[Swartz] wrote a script that instructed his computer to download articles continuously, something that was forbidden by JSTOR's terms of service....&nbsp;He spoofed the computer's address....&nbsp;This happened several times.&nbsp;MIT traced the requests to his laptop, which he had hidden in an unlocked closet. |author-link=Larissa MacFarquhar}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Idealist: Aaron Swartz wanted to save the world. Why couldn't he save himself? |first=Justin |last=Peters |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/02/aaron_swartz_he_wanted_to_save_the_world_why_couldn_t_he_save_himself.6.html |newspaper=Slate |location=N.Y.C. |date=February 7, 2013 |at=6 |quote=The superseding indictment ... claimed that Swartz had 'contrived to break into a restricted-access wiring closet at MIT.'&nbsp;But the closet door had been unlocked—and remained unlocked even after the university and authorities were aware that someone had been in there trying to access the school's network. |access-date=February 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210170319/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/02/aaron_swartz_he_wanted_to_save_the_world_why_couldn_t_he_save_himself.6.html |archive-date=February 10, 2013}}</ref><ref name="JM">{{cite web |url=http://www.talkleft.com/story/2013/1/14/51325/7871/crimenews/MIT-to-Conduct-Internal-Probe-on-its-Role-in-Aaron-Swartz-Case |title=MIT to conduct internal probe on its role in Aaron Swartz case |last=Merritt |first=Jeralyn |date=January 14, 2013 |work=TalkLeft (blog) |publisher=Att'y Jeralyn Merritt |quote=The wiring closet was not locked and was accessible to the public.&nbsp;If you look at the pictures supplied by the Government, you can see graffiti on one wall. |access-date=April 7, 2013 |archive-date=October 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016070232/http://www.talkleft.com/story/2013/1/14/51325/7871/crimenews/MIT-to-Conduct-Internal-Probe-on-its-Role-in-Aaron-Swartz-Case |url-status=live}}</ref> When it was discovered, a video camera was placed in the room to record Swartz; his computer was left untouched. The recording was stopped once Swartz was identified, but rather than pursue a civil lawsuit against him, JSTOR settled with him in June 2011; under the terms of the settlement, he surrendered the downloaded data.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-and-criminal-case |title=JSTOR Statement: Misuse Incident and Criminal Case |date=July 19, 2011 |publisher=JSTOR |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112202533/http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-and-criminal-case |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/aaron-swartz_n_2463726.html |work=HuffPost |title=Aaron Swartz, Internet Pioneer, Found Dead Amid Prosecutor 'Bullying' In Unconventional Case |date=January 12, 2013 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529201901/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/aaron-swartz_n_2463726.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 30, 2013, JSTOR released 300 partially redacted documents used as incriminating evidence against Swartz, originally sent to the United States Attorney's Office in response to subpoenas in the case ''United States v. Aaron Swartz''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n0 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Swartz-jstor-evidence-pdf-page-3142.png|"Root Cause Analysis" Report (side 1), showing a descriptive timeline of events from September 25, 2010, until December 26, 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 3142. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n3142 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
File:Swartz-jstor-evidence-pdf-page-3143.png|"Root Cause Analysis" Report (side 2), showing JSTOR response and incident resolution procedures<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 3143. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n3143 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
File:Swartz-jstor-evidence-pdf-page-3127.png|Email sent from JSTOR to Stephen Heymann (USAMA), estimating 3.5&nbsp;million PDF files had been downloaded<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 3127. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n3127 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
File:Swartz-jstor-evidence-pdf-page-3128.png|Email describing PDF download activity snapshots<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 3128. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n3128 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
File:Swartz-jstor-evidence-pdf-page-3129.png|PDF download activity, from JSTOR's databases to MIT computers, between November 1 and December 27<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 3129. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n3129 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
File:Swartz-jstor-evidence-pdf-page-3136.png|PDF activity, from JSTOR to MIT, between January 1 to 15<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf |title=JSTOR Evidence in United States vs. Aaron Swartz. Page 3136. |last=JSTOR |date=July 30, 2013 |format=PDF-1.6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402100652/http://docs.jstor.org/zips/JSTOR-Swartz-Evidence-All-Docs.pdf#page/n3136 |archive-date=April 2, 2016 |ref=evidence |via=archive.org/details/JSTORSwartzEvidenceAllDocs Archive.org] |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
</gallery>

=== Arrest and prosecution ===

On the night of January 6, 2011, Swartz was arrested near the Harvard campus by [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department|MIT Police]] and a [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agent, and arraigned in [[Massachusetts District Court|Cambridge District Court]] on two state charges of breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony.<ref name="gerstein" /><ref name="IncidentReport" /><ref name="cohen" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Hak |first=Susana |author2=Paz, Gabriella |title=Compilation of December 15, 2010 – January 20, 2011 |work=Hak–De Paz Police Log Compilations |page=6 |publisher=MIT Crime Club |date=January 26, 2011 |url=http://mitcrimeclub.org/11pologDec15Jan20.pdf |quote=January 6, 2:20&nbsp;pm, Aaron Swartz, was arrested at 24 Lee Street as a suspect for breaking and entering.... |access-date=January 22, 2013 |archive-date=March 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317052243/http://mitcrimeclub.org/11pologDec15Jan20.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Singel |first=Ryan |title=Rogue academic downloader busted by MIT webcam stakeout, arrest report says |magazine=Wired |location=N.Y.C. |date=February 27, 2011 |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/07/mit-webcam-swartz/ |quote=Swartz is accused ... of stealing the articles by attaching a laptop directly to a network switch in ... a 'restricted' room, though neither the police report nor the indictment [mentions] a door lock or signage indicating the room is off-limits. |access-date=March 5, 2017 |archive-date=March 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322040825/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/mit-webcam-swartz |url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 11, 2011, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of [[wire fraud]], [[computer fraud]], unlawfully obtaining information from a [[protected computer]], and recklessly damaging a protected computer.<ref name="Indictment" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Bilton |first=Nick |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/reddit-co-founder-charged-with-data-theft/ |title=Internet Activist Charged in Data Theft |location=Boston |publisher=Bits Blog, The New York Times Company |date=July 19, 2011 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |url-access=registration |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721030413/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/reddit-co-founder-charged-with-data-theft/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

On November 17, 2011, Swartz was indicted by a Middlesex County Superior Court grand jury on state charges of breaking and entering with intent, [[grand larceny]], and unauthorized access to a computer network.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hawkinson |first=John |title=Swartz indicted for breaking and entering |newspaper=The Tech |location=MIT |page=11 |date=November 18, 2011 |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V131/N53/swartz.html |quote=Swartz ... was indicted ... in Middlesex Superior Court ... for breaking and entering, larceny over $250, and unauthorized access to a computer network. |access-date=May 18, 2013 |archive-date=April 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422191512/http://tech.mit.edu/V131/N53/swartz.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Cambridge man indicted on breaking & entering charges, larceny charges in connection with data theft |publisher=Middlesex District Attorney |date=November 17, 2011 |url=http://middlesexda.com/news/press-release.php?reference=456 |quote=Swartz ... was indicted today on charges of Breaking and Entering with Intent to Commit a Felony, Larceny over $250, and Unauthorized Access to a Computer Network by a Middlesex Superior Grand Jury. |access-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616231254/http://middlesexda.com/news/press-release.php?reference=456 |archive-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref> On December 16, 2011, state prosecutors filed a notice that they were dropping the two original charges,<ref name="IncidentReport" /> and the charges listed in the November 17, 2011, indictment were dropped on March 8, 2012.<ref name="StateDrop">Hawkinson, John [http://tech.mit.edu/V132/N12/swartz.html ''State drops charges against Swartz; federal charges remain''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119215320/http://tech.mit.edu/V132/N12/swartz.html |date=November 19, 2015}} [[The Tech (newspaper)|The Tech]], March 16, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2013.</ref> According to a spokesperson for the Middlesex County prosecutor, this was done to avoid impeding a federal prosecution headed by [[Stephen Heymann|Stephen P. Heymann]], supported by evidence provided by Secret Service agent Michael S. Pickett.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bombardieri |first1=Marcella |title=The inside story of MIT and Aaron Swartz |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/03/29/the-inside-story-mit-and-aaron-swartz/YvJZ5P6VHaPJusReuaN7SI/story.html |access-date=November 19, 2015 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |date=March 30, 2014 |archive-date=November 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119210935/https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/03/29/the-inside-story-mit-and-aaron-swartz/YvJZ5P6VHaPJusReuaN7SI/story.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="StateDrop" />

On September 12, 2012, federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment adding nine more felony counts, increasing Swartz's maximum criminal exposure to 50{{nbsp}}years of imprisonment and $1&nbsp;million in [[fine (penalty)|fines]].<ref name="Indictment" /><ref>{{cite web |title=US Government Ups Felony Count in JSTOR/Aaron Swartz Case From Four To Thirteen |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120917/17393320412/us-government-ups-felony-count-jstoraaron-swartz-case-four-to-thirteen.shtml |date=September 17, 2012 |publisher=Tech dirt |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112202922/http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120917/17393320412/us-government-ups-felony-count-jstoraaron-swartz-case-four-to-thirteen.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Zetter" /> During plea negotiations with Swartz's attorneys, the prosecutors offered to recommend a sentence of six months in a low-security prison if Swartz pled guilty to 13 federal crimes. Swartz and his lead attorney rejected the deal, opting instead for a trial where prosecutors would be forced to justify their pursuit of him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith-Spark |first1=Laura |title=Prosecutor defends case against Aaron Swartz |url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/01/17/tech/aaron-swartz-death/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=June 13, 2014 |archive-date=August 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830194859/http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/17/tech/aaron-swartz-death/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cullen |first1=Kevin |last2=Ellement |first2=John |title=MIT hacking case lawyer says Aaron Swartz was offered plea deal of six months behind bars |url=https://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/01/14/mit-hacking-case-lawyer-says-aaron-swartz-was-offered-plea-deal-six-months-behind-bars/hQt8sQI64tnV6FAd7CLcTJ/story.html |website=Boston Globe |publisher=Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC |access-date=June 13, 2014 |archive-date=July 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721052709/http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/01/14/mit-hacking-case-lawyer-says-aaron-swartz-was-offered-plea-deal-six-months-behind-bars/hQt8sQI64tnV6FAd7CLcTJ/story.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

The federal prosecution involved what was characterized by numerous critics (such as former [[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Nixon]] White House counsel [[John Dean]]) as an "[[Overcharging (law)|overcharging]]" 13-count indictment and "overzealous", "Nixonian" prosecution for alleged computer crimes, brought by then U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts [[Carmen Ortiz]].<ref>[http://verdict.justia.com/2013/01/25/dealing-with-aaron-swartz-in-the-nixonian-tradition "Dealing With Aaron Swartz in the Nixonian Tradition: Overzealous Overcharging Leads to a Tragic Result"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126220259/http://verdict.justia.com/2013/01/25/dealing-with-aaron-swartz-in-the-nixonian-tradition |date=January 26, 2013}}, [[Justia]], [[John Dean]], January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2020.</ref>

Swartz died by suicide on January 11, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |last=Boeri |first=David |url=http://www.wbur.org/2013/02/20/carmen-ortiz-investigation |title=Ortiz Under Fire: Critics Say Swartz Tragedy Is Evidence Of Troublesome Pattern |publisher=WBUR |date=February 20, 2013 |access-date=May 16, 2014 |archive-date=November 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102080907/http://www.wbur.org/2013/02/20/carmen-ortiz-investigation |url-status=live}}</ref> After his death, federal prosecutors dropped the charges.<ref>{{cite news |last=Landergan |first=Katherine |url=https://www.boston.com/yourcampus/news/mit/2013/01/us_district_court_drops_charges_against_aaron_swartz.html |title=US District Court drops charges against Aaron Swartz&nbsp;– MIT – Your Campus |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=October 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008022550/http://www.boston.com/yourcampus/news/mit/2013/01/us_district_court_drops_charges_against_aaron_swartz.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite court |url=https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Massachusetts_District_Court/1--11-cr-10260/USA_v_Swartz/106/ |litigants=United States v. Swartz |opinion=1:11-cr-10260 |pinpoint=106 |court=[[United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts|D. Mass.]] |date=filed January 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510011510/https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Massachusetts_District_Court/1--11-cr-10260/USA_v._Swartz/106/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On December 4, 2013, due to a [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|Freedom of Information Act]] suit by the investigations editor of ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' magazine, several documents related to the case were released by the Secret Service, including a video of Swartz entering the MIT network closet.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Poulsen |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Poulsen |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/12/swartz-video/ |title=This Is the MIT Surveillance Video That Undid Aaron Swartz |magazine=Wired |date=December 4, 2013 |access-date=December 7, 2013 |archive-date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205030417/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/12/swartz-video/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Swartz was in an open relationship with [[Quinn Norton]] between 2007 and 2011,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Norton|first1=Quinn|title=My Aaron Swartz, whom I loved|url=http://www.quinnnorton.com/said/?p=644|work=Quinn Said|date=12 January 2013}}</ref> and then dated
[[Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman]] from 2011 until his death in 2013, and also contemplated marriage with her.<ref>Peltz, Jennifer (19 January 2013), [https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/01/19/hundreds-honor-information-activist-swartz-in-nyc/1848493/ "Hundreds honor information activist Swartz"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316213515/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/01/19/hundreds-honor-information-activist-swartz-in-nyc/1848493/ |date=16 March 2016 }}, [[Associated Press]], ''[[USA Today]]''. Retrieved 24 January 2013.</ref> He also reportedly had same-sex relationships, and was against the idea of [[sexual identity]] in  relationships, saying that relationships are more of an act rather than being about identity.<ref>{{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/notgay |title=Why I Am Not Gay (Aaron Swartz's Raw Thought) |date=September 8, 2009 |access-date=August 20, 2024 }} 
</ref> Aside from his work, he posted frequently on Twitter, Reddit and his personal website. He was an [[Atheism|atheist]].<ref>{{cite news |title='Repairing the World' Was Aaron Swartz's Calling |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-the-internets-robin-hood-remembered-1.5234097 |access-date=2021-09-19 |archive-date=March 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304110227/https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-the-internets-robin-hood-remembered-1.5234097 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Death==
{{external media
| video1 = {{YouTube|id=myYzfsEOaDw|title=Aaron Swartz Memorial at The Great Hall of Cooper Union}}, (transcript)
| video2 = {{YouTube|id=x3Fz1V3LZtw|title=Aaron Swartz Memorial at the Internet Archive}}, (partial transcript)
| video3 = DC Memorial: Darrell Issa, Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, {{YouTube|id=Slmbmd69QHM|title=Alan Grayson}}
}}

On the evening of January 11, 2013, Swartz's girlfriend, Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, found him dead in his Brooklyn apartment.<ref name="macfarquhar" /><ref name="NYDaily_20130112" /><ref name="CBS_20130112">{{cite news |title=Co-founder of Reddit Aaron Swartz found dead |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57563656/co-founder-of-reddit-aaron-swartz-found-dead/ |work=News |publisher=CBS |access-date=January 12, 2013 |date=January 13, 2013 |archive-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113042659/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57563656/co-founder-of-reddit-aaron-swartz-found-dead/}}</ref> A spokeswoman for [[Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York|New York's Medical Examiner]] reported that he had hanged<!-- Note that 'hanged' is correct English here, should not be changed to 'hung', MNEMONIC DEVICE: Pictures are hung. People are hanged, see http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hang#Usage_notes --> himself.<ref name="NYDaily_20130112">{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/co-founder-reddit-hangs-brooklyn-apartment-article-1.1238852 |title=Aaron Swartz, co-founder of Reddit and online activist, hangs himself in Brooklyn apartment, authorities say |newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |location=New York |date=January 12, 2013 |first1=Joe |last2=Trapasso |first2=Clare |first3=Larry |last1=Kemp |last3=Mcshane |quote=Swartz ... left no note before his Friday morning death in the seventh-floor apartment at a luxury Sullivan Place building, police sources said. |access-date=January 14, 2013 |archive-date=January 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114181841/http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/co-founder-reddit-hangs-brooklyn-apartment-article-1.1238852 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CBS_20130112" /><ref name="lessig-obituary" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/technology/aaron-swartz-internet-activist-dies-at-26.html |title=Internet Activist, a Creator of RSS, Is Dead at 26, Apparently a Suicide |date=January 12, 2013 |last=Schwartz |first=John |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=January 13, 2013 |url-access=registration |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112224056/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/technology/aaron-swartz-internet-activist-dies-at-26.html}}</ref> No [[suicide note]] was found.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://business.time.com/2013/01/14/mit-orders-review-of-aaron-swartz-suicide-as-soul-searching-begins/ |date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |title=MIT orders review of Aaron Swartz suicide as soul searching begins |magazine=Time |first=Sam |last=Gustin |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116211757/http://business.time.com/2013/01/14/mit-orders-review-of-aaron-swartz-suicide-as-soul-searching-begins/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz's family and his partner created a memorial website on which they issued a statement, saying: "He used his prodigious skills as a programmer and technologist not to enrich himself but to make the Internet and the world a fairer, better place."<ref name="Folkhero" />

Days before Swartz's funeral, [[Lawrence Lessig]] eulogized his friend and sometime-client in an essay, "Prosecutor as Bully." He decried the [[Proportionality (law)|disproportionality]] of Swartz's prosecution and said, "The question this government needs to answer is why it was so necessary that Aaron Swartz be labeled a 'felon'. For in the 18 months of negotiations, that was what he was not willing to accept."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/40347463044/prosecutor-as-bully |title=Prosecutor as bully |first=Lawrence |last=Lessig |author-link=Lawrence Lessig |date=January 12, 2013 |work=Lessig Blog, v2 |quote=Aaron consulted me as a friend and lawyer.... [M]y obligations to Harvard created a conflict that made it impossible for me to continue as a lawyer.... I get wrong. But I also get proportionality. |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112202525/http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/40347463044/prosecutor-as-bully |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Cory Doctorow]] wrote, "Aaron had an unbeatable combination of political insight, technical skill, and intelligence about people and issues. I think he could have revolutionized American (and worldwide) politics. His legacy may still yet do so."<ref>{{Citation |first=Cory |last=Doctorow |url=http://boingboing.net/2013/01/12/rip-aaron-swartz.html |title=RIP, Aaron Swartz |work=Boing Boing |date=January 12, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117191021/http://boingboing.net/2013/01/12/rip-aaron-swartz.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Funeral and memorial gatherings===
[[File:2013-01-24 Aaron Swartz memorial SF sign.jpg|thumb|Aaron Swartz Memorial sign at Internet Archive headquarters, San Francisco, January 24, 2013]]
Swartz's funeral services were held on January 15, 2013, at Central Avenue Synagogue in [[Highland Park, Illinois|Highland Park]], Illinois. [[Tim Berners-Lee]], creator of the [[World Wide Web]], delivered a eulogy.<ref name="BusinessInsider" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Gallardo |first=Michelle |date=January 15, 2013 |url=http://abc7chicago.com/archive/8955254/ |title=Aaron Swartz, Reddit co-founder, remembered at funeral |work=ABC News |access-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-date=November 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109064353/http://abc7chicago.com/archive/8955254/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fsf.org/events/20130118-aaron-swartz-memorial-ice-cream-social-hour |title=Aaron Swartz Memorial Ice Cream Social Hour – Free Software Foundation – working together for free software |publisher=Fsf.org |access-date=January 18, 2013 |archive-date=January 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118110409/http://www.fsf.org/events/20130118-aaron-swartz-memorial-ice-cream-social-hour |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/19/aaron-swartz-tribute_n_2512503.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109030212/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/19/aaron-swartz-tribute_n_2512503.html |archive-date=November 9, 2014|title=Aaron Swartz Tribute: Hundreds Honor Information Activist |work=HuffPost |date=January 19, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref> He is buried at [[Shalom Memorial Park]] in [[Arlington Heights, Illinois|Arlington Heights]]. The same day, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' published a story based in part on an interview with Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman.<ref name="wsj">{{cite news |title=Legal case strained troubled activist |first=Spencer |last=Ante |author2=Anjali Athavaley |author3=Joe Palazzolo |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324581504578238692048200404 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 14, 2013 |page=B1 |quote=With the government's position hardening, Mr. Swartz realized that he would have to face a costly public trial....&nbsp;He would need to ask for help financing his defense.... |access-date=August 3, 2017 |archive-date=August 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826132048/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324581504578238692048200404 |url-status=live}}</ref> She told the ''Journal'' that Swartz lacked the money to pay for a trial and "it was too hard for him to ... make that part of his life go public" by asking for help. He was also distressed, she said, because two of his friends had just been [[subpoena]]ed and because he no longer believed that MIT would try to stop the prosecution.<ref name="wsj" />

Several memorials followed soon afterward. On January 19, hundreds attended a memorial at the [[Cooper Union]], speakers at which included Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, open source advocate [[Doc Searls]], [[Creative Commons]]' Glenn Otis Brown, journalist [[Quinn Norton]], [[Roy Singham]] of [[ThoughtWorks]], and David Segal of Demand Progress.<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-did-the-justice-system-target-aaron-swartz-20130123 Hsieh, Steven, ''Why Did the Justice System Target Aaron Swartz?''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820053532/http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-did-the-justice-system-target-aaron-swartz-20130123 |date=August 20, 2017}}, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/hundreds-honor-information-activist-swartz-nyc |last=Peltz |first=Jennifer |title=Aaron Swartz Tribute: Hundreds Honor Information Activist |agency=Associated Press |date=January 19, 2013 |access-date=February 8, 2013 |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122045018/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/hundreds-honor-information-activist-swartz-nyc |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/robf4/grief-and-anger-at-aaron-swartzs-memorial |last=Fishman |first=Rob |title=Grief And Anger at Aaron Swartz's Memorial |work=[[BuzzFeed]] |date=January 19, 2013 |access-date=January 26, 2013 |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123070539/http://www.buzzfeed.com/robf4/grief-and-anger-at-aaron-swartzs-memorial |url-status=live}}</ref> On January 24, there was a memorial at the [[Internet Archive]] headquarters in San Francisco ([https://archive.org/details/AaronSwartzMemorialAtTheInternetArchive?start=4365 video]<ref>{{Citation|title=Aaron Swartz Memorial at the Internet Archive, Part 1|date=2013-01-24|url=http://archive.org/details/AaronSwartzMemorialAtTheInternetArchive|access-date=2021-11-24}}</ref>) with speakers including Stinebrickner-Kauffman, [[Alex Stamos]], [[Brewster Kahle]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Kahle|first=Brewster|date=2013-01-12|title=Aaron Swartz, hero of the open world, dies|url=http://blog.archive.org/2013/01/12/aaron-swartz-hero-of-the-open-world-rip/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-24|website=Internet Archive Blogs|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112175959/http://blog.archive.org/2013/01/12/aaron-swartz-hero-of-the-open-world-rip/ |archive-date=January 12, 2013}}</ref> [[Peter Eckersley (computer scientist)|Peter Eckersley]], and Carl Malamud.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.archive.org/2013/01/15/memorial-for-aaron-swartz/ |title=Memorial for Aaron Swartz &#124; Internet Archive Blogs |date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=January 18, 2013}}</ref> On February 4, a memorial was held in the [[Cannon House Office Building]] on [[Capitol Hill]];<ref>{{cite web |url=https://aaronswartzdcmemorial.eventbrite.com/ |title=Aaron Swartz DC Memorial |publisher=Aaronswartzdcmemorial.eventbrite.com |access-date=February 1, 2013 |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204091606/http://aaronswartzdcmemorial.eventbrite.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Farrell|first=Henry|author-link=Henry Farrell (political scientist)|date=January 29, 2013|title=Aaron Swartz Memorial in Washington DC|url=http://crookedtimber.org/2013/01/29/aaron-swartz-memorial-in-washington-dc/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215195958/http://crookedtimber.org/2013/01/29/aaron-swartz-memorial-in-washington-dc/|archive-date=February 15, 2013|access-date=February 1, 2013|website=[[Crooked Timber]]|publisher=}}</ref><ref name="Infoworld">[http://www.infoworld.com/t/federal-regulations/lawmakers-pledge-change-hacking-law-during-swartz-memorial-212254 Gross, Grant, ''Lawmakers pledge to change hacking law during Swartz memorial''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111010746/http://www.infoworld.com/t/federal-regulations/lawmakers-pledge-change-hacking-law-during-swartz-memorial-212254 |date=November 11, 2013}}, [[InfoWorld]], February 5, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.</ref><ref name="IssaWarren">{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/aaron-swartz-memorial-darrell-issa_n_2619872.html |last=Carter |first=Zach |title=Aaron Swartz Memorial on Capitol Hill Draws Darrell Issa, Elizabeth Warren |work=[[HuffPost]] |date=February 5, 2013 |access-date=February 5, 2013 |archive-date=February 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205065846/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/aaron-swartz-memorial-darrell-issa_n_2619872.html |url-status=live}}</ref> speakers at this memorial included Senator [[Ron Wyden]] and Representatives [[Darrell Issa]], [[Alan Grayson]], and [[Jared Polis]],<ref name="Infoworld" /><ref name="IssaWarren" /> and other lawmakers in attendance included Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] and Representatives [[Zoe Lofgren]] and [[Jan Schakowsky]].<ref name="Infoworld" /><ref name="IssaWarren" /> [[Harvey Silverglate]] was a featured speaker at a rally by [[Demand Progress]] in Swartz's memory.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sacchetti|first=Maria|title=Ralliers at Dewey Square remember Internet activist Aaron Swartz|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=April 13, 2013|url=http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/04/13/ralliers-dewey-square-remember-aaron-swartz/1m0BfMmNlheSawPZCigpFO/story.html|accessdate=August 3, 2023|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083644/http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/04/13/ralliers-dewey-square-remember-aaron-swartz/1m0BfMmNlheSawPZCigpFO/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A memorial also took place on March 12 at the [[MIT Media Lab]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tarensk.tumblr.com/post/45281114505/mit-memorial-service |title=TarenSK: MIT Memorial Service |access-date=March 15, 2013 |date=March 13, 2013 |author=Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman |archive-date=June 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612091853/http://tarensk.tumblr.com/post/45281114505/mit-memorial-service |url-status=live}} including links to video of the ceremony/speeches.</ref>

On February 2, 2025, a statue of Aaron was unveiled at the Internet Archive. This was organized by Pablo Peniche and Lisa Rein. The statue now stands in the lobby of the Internet Archive in San Francisco, California.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aaronstatue.org/|title=Aaron Swartz Statue |access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>

Swartz's family recommended [[GiveWell]] for donations in his memory, an organization that Swartz admired, had collaborated with and was the sole beneficiary of his will.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/robf4/grief-and-anger-at-aaron-swartzs-memorial |title=Grief And Anger at Aaron Swartz's Memorial |access-date=July 16, 2014 |date=January 19, 2013 |author=Rob Fishman |website=[[BuzzFeed]] |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019221536/http://www.buzzfeed.com/robf4/grief-and-anger-at-aaron-swartzs-memorial |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.givewell.org/2013/01/16/in-memory-of-aaron-swartz/ |title=In memory of Aaron Swartz |access-date=July 16, 2014 |date=January 16, 2013 |author=Holden Karnofsky |archive-date=August 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827214000/http://blog.givewell.org/2013/01/16/in-memory-of-aaron-swartz/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Response==

=== U.S. Department of Justice ===

[[Carmen Ortiz|Carmen M. Ortiz]], then U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said in a statement: "As a parent and a sister, I can only imagine the pain felt by the family and friends of Aaron Swartz, […] I must, however, make clear that this office's conduct was appropriate in bringing and handling this case."<ref>{{cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Carmen M. |author-link=Carmen M. Ortiz |date=2013-01-16 |title=Statement Of United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz Regarding The Death Of Aaron Swartz |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/statement-united-states-attorney-carmen-m-ortiz-regarding-death-aaron-swartz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112142340/https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/statement-united-states-attorney-carmen-m-ortiz-regarding-death-aaron-swartz |archive-date=2021-11-12 |access-date=2021-11-24 |website=justice.gov |language=en}}</ref>

=== Family response ===
{{Blockquote |quote=Aaron's death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach. Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's office and at MIT contributed to his death.|source=Statement by his family and his partner<ref name="remember">{{cite web |url=http://rememberaaronsw.tumblr.com/post/40372208044/official-statement-from-the-family-and-partner-of-aaron |title=Remember Aaron Swartz |access-date=January 12, 2013 |publisher=Tumblr |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130112234743/http://rememberaaronsw.tumblr.com/post/40372208044/official-statement-from-the-family-and-partner-of-aaron |df=mdy}}</ref>}}

On January 12, 2013, Swartz's family and partner issued a statement criticizing the prosecutors and MIT.<ref name="remember" /> Speaking at his son's funeral on January 15, Robert Swartz said, "Aaron was killed by the government, and MIT betrayed all of its basic principles."<ref>{{cite news |title=Aaron Swartz was 'killed by government,' father says at funeral |first=Sandra |last=Guy |url=http://www.suntimes.com/business/17594002-420/aaron-swartz-memorialized-at-service.html |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824225658/http://www.suntimes.com/business/17594002-420/aaron-swartz-memorialized-at-service.html|archive-date=August 24, 2014|quote=Swartz's father ... said that at a school event, 3-year-old Aaron read to his parents while all of the other parents read to their children.}}</ref>

[[Thomas J. Dolan (executive)|Tom Dolan]], husband of U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts [[Carmen Ortiz]], whose office prosecuted Swartz's case, replied with criticism of the Swartz family: "Truly incredible that in their own son's obit they blame others for his death and make no mention of the 6-month offer."<ref>[http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/01/16/attorney-husband-causes-backlash-twitter-with-posts-hacker-suicide/3Vm20xBaXXtYk6KgolSUxO/story.html Murphey, Shelly, ''US attorney's husband stirs Twitter storm on Swartz case''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009230053/https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/01/16/attorney-husband-causes-backlash-twitter-with-posts-hacker-suicide/3Vm20xBaXXtYk6KgolSUxO/story.html |date=October 9, 2020}}, ''[[Boston Globe]]'', January 16, 2013.. Retrieved January 17, 2013.</ref> This comment triggered some criticism; ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' writer [[Charlie Pierce]] replied, "the glibness with which her husband and her defenders toss off a 'mere' six months in federal prison, low-security or not, is a further indication that something is seriously out of whack with the way our prosecutors think these days."<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-01-17 |title=Pierce: More About the Aaron Swartz Suicide |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a18144/aaron-swartz-case-011713/ |access-date=2013-01-18 |website=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]|language=en-US|last=Pierce|first= Charles P.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140918124539/http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/aaron-swartz-case-011713 |archive-date=2014-09-18}}</ref>

===MIT===
At the time, MIT maintained an open-campus policy along with an "open network."<ref name="JM" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/01/13/swartz-death-fuels-debate-over-computer-crime/1831721/ |title=Swartz' death fuels debate over computer crime |date=January 14, 2013 |work=USA Today |access-date=January 29, 2013 |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121234804/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/01/13/swartz-death-fuels-debate-over-computer-crime/1831721/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Two days after Swartz's death, MIT President [[L. Rafael Reif]] commissioned professor [[Hal Abelson]] to lead an analysis of MIT's options and decisions relating to Swartz's "legal struggles."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/aaron-swartz-mit_n_2480627.html |title=Aaron Swartz case 'snowballed out of MIT's hands,' source says |last=Smith |first=Gerry |date=January 15, 2013 |work=HuffPost |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116123535/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/aaron-swartz-mit_n_2480627.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=President Reif writes to MIT community regarding Aaron Swartz |publisher=MIT |date=January 13, 2013 |url=http://mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/letter-on-death-of-aaron-swartz |quote=I have asked ... Abelson to lead a thorough analysis of MIT's involvement from the time that we first perceived unusual activity on our network in fall 2010.... |access-date=April 7, 2013 |archive-date=February 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214111443/https://news.mit.edu/2013/letter-on-death-of-aaron-swartz |url-status=live}}</ref> To help guide the fact-finding stage of the review, MIT created a website where community members could suggest questions and issues for the review to address.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://swartz-review.mit.edu/ |title=homepage |date=January 23, 2013 |work=Swartz Review |publisher=MIT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206144900/http://swartz-review.mit.edu/|archive-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=live |quote=IS&T has created this web site so [community members] can suggest questions and issues to guide the review...&nbsp;What questions should MIT be asking at this stage of the Aaron Swartz review?}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2013/01/24/mit-announces-plans-swartz-review/ |title=MIT prof announces plans for Swartz review: A website is launched allowing for discussion of how his case was handled |last=Nanos |first=Janelle |date=January 24, 2013 |work=Boston Magazine |access-date=April 7, 2013 |archive-date=October 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016072352/http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2013/01/24/mit-announces-plans-swartz-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Swartz's attorneys requested that all pretrial discovery documents be made public, a move which MIT opposed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130320/00571422386/mit-aaron-swartzs-lawyers-argue-over-releasing-evidence.shtml |title=MIT and Aaron Swartz's lawyers argue over releasing evidence |date=March 20, 2013 |publisher=Techdirt |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=March 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323094208/http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130320/00571422386/mit-aaron-swartzs-lawyers-argue-over-releasing-evidence.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz allies have criticized MIT for its opposition to releasing the evidence without redactions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thewire.com/technology/2013/03/mit-aaron-swartz-documents/63277/ |title=MIT's peace offering of Aaron Swartz documents still won't be enough |author=Rebecca Greenfield |newspaper=The Wire |date=March 19, 2013 |publisher=The Atlantic Wire |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412033754/http://www.thewire.com/technology/2013/03/mit-aaron-swartz-documents/63277/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On July 26, 2013, the Abelson panel submitted a 182-page report to MIT president, L. Rafael Reif, who authorized its public release on July 30.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alum.mit.edu/news/TechConnection/Archive/tech-connection-august-2013?destination=node/21455 |title=Report Details MIT's Involvement in the Aaron Swartz Case |date=August 2013 |publisher=alum.mit.edu|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130829103458/http://alum.mit.edu/news/TechConnection/Archive/tech-connection-august-2013?destination=node/21455|archive-date=August 29, 2013|access-date=September 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/us/mit-releases-report-on-its-role-in-the-case-of-aaron-swartz.html |title=M.I.T. Releases Report on Its Role in the Case of Aaron Swartz |author=Schwartz, John |date=July 30, 2013 |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 30, 2013 |url-access=registration |archive-date=July 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730231033/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/us/mit-releases-report-on-its-role-in-the-case-of-aaron-swartz.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/mit-swartz-report-faq-0730.html |title=MIT releases report on its actions in the Aaron Swartz case |date=July 30, 2013 |work=MIT news |access-date=July 30, 2013 |agency=MIT News Office |archive-date=August 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803195029/http://www.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/mit-swartz-report-faq-0730.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The panel reported that MIT had not supported charges against Swartz and cleared the institution of wrongdoing. However, its report also noted that despite MIT's advocacy for [[open access]] culture at the institutional level and beyond, the university never extended that support to Swartz. The report revealed, for example, that while MIT considered the possibility of issuing a public statement about its position on the case, such a statement never materialized.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://swartz-report.mit.edu/docs/report-to-the-president.pdf |title=Report to the President: MIT and the Prosecution of Aaron Swartz |year=2013 |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |access-date=July 30, 2013 |archive-date=December 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229072220/http://swartz-report.mit.edu/docs/report-to-the-president.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Press ===

[[File:RIP Aaron Swartz.jpg|thumbnail|right|upright|Aaron Swartz mural by [[Brooklyn]] [[graffiti art]]ist BAMN]]

''[[The Huffington Post]]'' reported that "Ortiz has faced significant backlash for pursuing the case against Swartz, including a petition to the White House to have her fired."<ref>{{Citation |title=Tom Dolan, Husband of Aaron Swartz's Prosecutor |access-date=January 16, 2013 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/tom-dolan-aaron-swartz_n_2479980.html |work=HuffPost |date=January 15, 2013 |first=Dino |last=Grandoni |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116190827/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/tom-dolan-aaron-swartz_n_2479980.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Other news outlets reported similarly.<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57564212-38/prosecutor-in-aaron-swartz-hacking-case-comes-under-fire/ McCullagh, Declan, "Prosecutor in Aaron Swartz 'hacking' case comes under fire"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221205103/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57564212-38/prosecutor-in-aaron-swartz-hacking-case-comes-under-fire/ |date=February 21, 2014}}, [[CNET]], January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.</ref><ref>Stout, Matt. [http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/01/ortiz_we_never_intended_full_penalty_swartz "Ortiz: We never intended full penalty for Swartz"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118035256/http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/01/ortiz_we_never_intended_full_penalty_swartz |date=January 18, 2013}}, ''[[Boston Herald]]'', January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.</ref><ref>Barnes, James. [http://www.globallegalpost.com/big-stories/hackers-suicide-linked-to-overzealous-prosecutors-37383540/ "Hacker's suicide linked to 'overzealous' prosecutors"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819182053/http://www.globallegalpost.com/big-stories/hackers-suicide-linked-to-overzealous-prosecutors-37383540/ |date=August 19, 2018}}, ''[[The Global Legal Post]]'', January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.</ref>

[[Reuters]] news agency called Swartz "an online icon" who "help[ed] to make a virtual mountain of information freely available to the public, including an estimated 19 million pages of federal court documents."<ref>{{cite news |title=Internet activist, programmer Aaron Swartz dead at 26 |first=Alex |last=Dobuzinskis |author2=P.J. Huffstutter |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/13/net-us-swartz-internet-idUSBRE90B0G320130113 |work=Reuters |date=January 13, 2013 |quote=That belief – that information should be shared and available for the good of society – prompted Swartz to found the nonprofit group Demand Progress. |access-date=June 30, 2017 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924173154/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/13/net-us-swartz-internet-idUSBRE90B0G320130113 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Associated Press]] (AP) reported that Swartz's case "highlights society's uncertain, evolving view of how to treat people who break into computer systems and share data not to enrich themselves, but to make it available to others,"<ref name="stuff1">{{cite news |title=Swartz' death fuels debate over computer crime |first=Daniel |last=Wagner |author2=Verena Dobnik |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/swartz-death-fuels-debate-over-computer-crime |agency=Associated Press |date=January 13, 2013 |quote=JSTOR's attorney, Mary Jo White – formerly the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan – had called the lead Boston prosecutor in the case and asked him to drop it, said Peters. |access-date=February 26, 2013 |archive-date=March 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330115737/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/swartz-death-fuels-debate-over-computer-crime |url-status=live}}</ref> and that JSTOR's lawyer, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York [[Mary Jo White]], had asked the lead prosecutor to drop the charges.<ref name="stuff1" />

As discussed by the editor [[Hrag Vartanian]] in ''[[Hyperallergic]]'', Brooklyn, New York muralist BAMN ("By Any Means Necessary") created a mural of Swartz.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hyperallergic.com/64680/a-roller-tribute-to-two-digital-anarchist-heroes/ |title=A roller tribute to two digital anarchist heroes |first=Hrag |last=Vartanian |date=February 7, 2013 |publisher=Hyperallergic |location=Brooklyn, NY |access-date=June 1, 2013 |archive-date=June 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605153231/http://hyperallergic.com/64680/a-roller-tribute-to-two-digital-anarchist-heroes/ |url-status=live}}</ref> "Swartz was an amazing human being who fought tirelessly for our right to a free and open Internet," the artist explained. "He was much more than just the 'Reddit guy'."

Speaking on April 17, 2013, [[Yuval Noah Harari]] described Swartz as "the first martyr of the Freedom of Information movement". However, according to Harari, Swartz's stance did not illustrate the belief in the freedom of persons or speech but stemmed from the increasing belief among the young generation that above anything else, information should be free.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yuval Noah Harari |title=Data Processing – Part 1 |website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VJMYWKH-W8&t=1590 |access-date=September 27, 2018 |format=Video |date=April 18, 2013 |author1-link=Yuval Noah Harari |archive-date=December 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224193000/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VJMYWKH-W8&t=1590 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Swartz's legacy has been reported as strengthening the [[open access]] to scholarship movement. In Illinois, his home state, Swartz's influence led state university faculties to adopt policies in favor of open access.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-aaron-swartz-open-access-met-20160117-story.html |title=Legacy of open access activist still growing |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=January 18, 2016 |author=Keilman, John |page=3 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=November 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122132756/https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-aaron-swartz-open-access-met-20160117-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Internet ===

====Hacks====
On January 13, 2013, members of [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]] hacked two websites on the MIT domain, replacing them with tributes to Swartz that called on members of the Internet community to use his death as a rallying point for the [[open access]] movement. The banner included a list of demands for improvements in the [[Copyright law of the United States|U.S. copyright]] system, along with Swartz's ''[[Guerilla open access manifesto|Guerilla Open Access Manifesto]].''<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/anonymous-hacks-mit-sites-to-post-aaron-swartz-tribute-call-to-arms/2013/01/14/ff6f706c-5e44-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_print.html |title=Anonymous hacks MIT Web sites to post Aaron Swartz tribute, call to arms |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-date=October 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019043659/http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/anonymous-hacks-mit-sites-to-post-aaron-swartz-tribute-call-to-arms/2013/01/14/ff6f706c-5e44-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_print.html |url-status=live}}</ref> On the night of January 18, 2013, MIT's e-mail system was taken offline for ten hours.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://techblogs.mit.edu/news/2013/01/mit-email-was-down-for-10-hours-last-night-mystery-hunt-temporarily-affected/ |title=MIT email was down for 10 hours last night, Mystery Hunt temporarily affected |last=Kao |first=Joanna |date=January 19, 2013 |newspaper=Tech Blogs |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217100217/http://techblogs.mit.edu/news/2013/01/mit-email-was-down-for-10-hours-last-night-mystery-hunt-temporarily-affected/ |archive-date=February 17, 2013 |location=MIT |quote=A mail loop caused by a series of malformed email messages led to an exhaustion of system resources....}}</ref> On January 22, e-mail sent to MIT was redirected by hackers Aush0k and TibitXimer to the [[KAIST|Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology]]. All other traffic to MIT was redirected to a computer at Harvard University that was publishing a statement headed "R.I.P Aaron Swartz,"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mit.edu/ |title=R.I.P Aaron Swartz |author1=((Aush0k)) |author2=((TibitXimer)) |date=January 22, 2013 |publisher=[harvard.edu] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627114525/http://www.mit.edu/ |archive-date=June 27, 2017 |quote=hacked by aush0k and tibitximer}}</ref> with text from a 2009 posting by Swartz,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/immoral |title=Life in a world of pervasive immorality: The ethics of being alive |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |date=August 2, 2009 |work=Raw Thought: Aaron Swartz's Weblog |quote=Is there sense in following [the] rules or are they just another example of the world's pervasive immorality? |access-date=January 24, 2013 |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031034217/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/immoral |url-status=live}}</ref> accompanied by a [[chiptune]] version of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]". MIT regained full control after about seven hours.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V132/N63/hack.html |title=MIT DNS hacked; traffic redirected |last=Kao |first=Joanna |date=January 23, 2013 |newspaper=The Tech |location=MIT |page=1 |quote=From 11:58 a.m. to 1:05&nbsp;pm, MIT's DNS was redirected ... to CloudFlare, where the hackers had configured servers to return a Harvard IP address.... By 7:15&nbsp;pm, CloudFlare removed the 'mail.mit.edu' record, which referred to the machine ... at KAIST. |access-date=January 24, 2013 |archive-date=December 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223060949/http://tech.mit.edu/V132/N63/hack.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In the early hours of January 26, 2013, the [[United States Sentencing Commission|U.S. Sentencing Commission]] website, USSC.gov, was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ehackingnews.com/2013/01/ussc-hacked-by-anonymous.html |title=United States Sentencing Commission(ussc.gov) hacked and defaced by Anonymous &#124; Security updates |author=Reported by Sabari Selvan |publisher=Ehackingnews.com |access-date=January 29, 2013 |archive-date=January 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129011605/http://www.ehackingnews.com/2013/01/ussc-hacked-by-anonymous.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/hackers-take-over-sentencing-commission-website |title=Hackers take over sentencing commission website |date=January 26, 2013 |agency=Associated Press |quote='Two weeks ago today, a line was crossed,' the statement said. |access-date=January 26, 2013 |archive-date=October 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018235920/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/hackers-take-over-sentencing-commission-website |url-status=live}}</ref> The home page was replaced with an embedded YouTube video, ''Anonymous Operation Last Resort''. The video statement said Swartz "faced an impossible choice".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaPni5O2YyI |title=Anonymous Operation Last Resort: Anonymous hacked USSC.GOV |author=Aarons ArkAngel |date=January 26, 2013 |format=Flash video |via=YouTube |access-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-date=August 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824021840/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaPni5O2YyI |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21213793 |title=Anonymous hackers target US agency site |date=January 26, 2013 |work=BBC News |quote=The hackers ... said the site was chosen for symbolic reasons. 'The federal sentencing guidelines ... enable prosecutors to cheat citizens of their constitutionally guaranteed right to a fair trial ...,' the video statement said. |access-date=June 20, 2018 |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926054736/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21213793 |url-status=live}}</ref> A hacker downloaded "hundreds of thousands" of scientific-journal articles from a Swiss publisher's website and republished them on the open Web in Swartz's honor a week before the first anniversary of his death.<ref>{{cite press release |last=Stanza |first=Arrow |date=January 6, 2014 |title=Springer Link hacked in honor of Aaron Swartz |url=http://beta.slashdot.org/submission/3245329/ |publisher=Slashdot |quote=The material is published in honor of Aaron Swartz in springer-lta.co.nf|access-date=January 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114180753/http://beta.slashdot.org/submission/3245329/|archive-date=January 14, 2014}}. [Author's pseudonym is an anagram of "aaron swartz".]</ref>

====Petition to the White House====
{{See also|Carmen Ortiz|Stephen Heymann}}
After Swartz's death, more than 50,000 people signed an online petition<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wh.gov/E3v1 |title=Petition: "Remove United States District Attorney Carmen Ortiz from office for overreach in the case of Aaron Swartz." |date=January 12, 2013 |publisher=Wh.gov|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218045100/https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-united-states-district-attorney-carmen-ortiz-office-overreach-case-aaron-swartz/RQNrG1Ck|archive-date=February 18, 2013|access-date=January 20, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> to the White House calling for the removal of Ortiz, "for overreach in the case of Aaron Swartz."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/13/aaron-swartz-death-_n_2468879.html |title=Were The Charges Against Internet Activist Aaron Swartz Too Severe? |last=Smith |first=Gerry |date=January 13, 2013 |newspaper=HuffPost |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=August 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805155248/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/13/aaron-swartz-death-_n_2468879.html |url-status=live}}</ref> A similar petition<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/Ex1n |title=Fire Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Heymann |date=January 12, 2013 |publisher=White House |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019220131/http://www.whitehouse.gov/Ex1n |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |access-date=January 29, 2013}}</ref> was submitted calling for prosecutor Stephen Heymann's firing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/ortiz-heymann-swartz-accountability-abuse |title=Carmen Ortiz and Stephen Heymann: accountability for prosecutorial abuse &#124; guardian.co.uk |author=Glenn Greenwald |date=January 16, 2013 |work=The Guardian |access-date=January 29, 2013 |location=London |archive-date=August 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804230633/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/ortiz-heymann-swartz-accountability-abuse |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2013/01/17/convicted-hacker-steven-watt-on-aaron-swarzt-its-just-not-justice/ |title=Convicted hacker Stephen Watt on Aaron Swartz: 'It's just not justice' |date=January 25, 2013 |work=VentureBeat |access-date=January 29, 2013 |archive-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120021629/http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/17/convicted-hacker-steven-watt-on-aaron-swarzt-its-just-not-justice/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2015, two years after Swartz's death, the White House declined both petitions.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/01/08/in-a-long-delayed-petition-response-obama-refuses-to-fire-u-s-attorneys-over-aaron-swartz/ |title=After long delay, Obama declines to rule on petition calling for firing of DOJ officials over Aaron Swartz's suicide |last=Fung |first=Brian |date=January 8, 2015 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=March 13, 2015 |author2=Peterson, Andrea |archive-date=January 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116174543/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/01/08/in-a-long-delayed-petition-response-obama-refuses-to-fire-u-s-attorneys-over-aaron-swartz/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Commemorations===
[[File:Internet Hall of Fame Induction 2013- Robert Swartz.webm|thumb|Swartz's father Robert accepting his son's induction into the Internet Hall of Fame, 2013]]

On August 3, 2013, Swartz was posthumously inducted into the [[Internet Hall of Fame]].<ref name=":0" /> There was a [[hackathon]] held in Swartz's memory around the date of his birthday in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57611642-38/call-to-action-kicks-off-second-aaron-swartz-hackathon/ |title=Call to action kicks off second Aaron Swartz hackathon |last=Rosenblatt |first=Seth |date=November 9, 2013 |newspaper=CNET News |access-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110001911/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57611642-38/call-to-action-kicks-off-second-aaron-swartz-hackathon/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://pando.com/2013/11/08/tonight-begins-the-second-annual-aaron-swartz-hackathon/ |title=Tonight begins the second annual Aaron Swartz hackathon |last=Guthrie Weissman |first=Cale |date=November 8, 2013 |work=Pando Daily |access-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203154148/http://pando.com/2013/11/08/tonight-begins-the-second-annual-aaron-swartz-hackathon/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Over the weekend of November 8–10, 2013, inspired by Swartz's work and life, a second annual hackathon was held in at least 16 cities around the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aaronswartzhackathon.org/ |title=Aaron Swartz Hackathon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329125421/http://aaronswartzhackathon.org/|archive-date=March 29, 2014|access-date=November 9, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/11/aaron-swartz-hackathons-weekend-continue-his-work |title=Aaron Swartz Hackathons This Weekend to Continue his Work |last=Higgins |first=Parker |date=November 6, 2001 |work=Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) |access-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110054147/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/11/aaron-swartz-hackathons-weekend-continue-his-work |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/yourcampus/news/mit/2013/10/in_aaron_swartz_memory_hackathons_to_be_held_across_globe_including_at_mit_next_month.html |title=In Aaron Swartz' memory, hackathons to be held across globe, including at MIT, next month |last=Rocheleau |first=Matt |date=October 21, 2013 |work=Boston |access-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-date=October 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025003936/http://www.boston.com/yourcampus/news/mit/2013/10/in_aaron_swartz_memory_hackathons_to_be_held_across_globe_including_at_mit_next_month.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Preliminary topics worked on at the 2013 Aaron Swartz Hackathon<ref>{{cite web |url=https://noisebridge.net/wiki/Worldwide_Aaron_Swartz_Memorial_Hackathon_Series |title=Worldwide Aaron Swartz Memorial Hackathon Series |work=Noisebridge |access-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-date=November 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108193521/https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Worldwide_Aaron_Swartz_Memorial_Hackathon_Series |url-status=live}}</ref> were privacy and software tools, transparency, activism, access, legal fixes and a low-cost book scanner.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://noisebridge.net/wiki/Aaron_projects |title=Aaron projects |work=Noisebridge |access-date=November 9, 2013 |archive-date=November 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110003430/https://noisebridge.net/wiki/Aaron_projects |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2014, Lawrence Lessig led a walk across New Hampshire in honor of Swartz, rallying for campaign finance reform.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-lessig/aarons-walk-the-new-hamps_b_4572544.html |title=Aaron's Walk: The New Hampshire Rebellion |last=Lessig |first=Lawrence |date=January 10, 2014 |work=[[HuffPost]] |access-date=September 5, 2014 |author-link=Lawrence Lessig |archive-date=July 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140731062500/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-lessig/aarons-walk-the-new-hamps_b_4572544.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhrebellion.org/it_begins |title=It Begins. Thank you. |last=Boyko |first=Brian |date=January 11, 2014 |access-date=September 5, 2014 |archive-date=September 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904202256/http://www.nhrebellion.org/it_begins |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, the Turkish-Dutch artist [[Ahmet Ögüt|Ahmet Öğüt]] commemorated Swartz through a work entitled "Information Power to The People" which depicted his bust.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ahmetogut.com/ahmetwebaaron.html |title=Information Power to The People |work=Ahmet Öğüt's website |access-date=March 31, 2019 |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403210500/http://www.ahmetogut.com/ahmetwebaaron.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Aaron Swartz statue.jpg|thumb|A clay statue of Aaron Swartz at the [[Internet Archive]]]]

== Legacy ==
=== Open Access ===
{{see also|#United States v. Aaron Swartz case|Guerilla Open Access Manifesto}}

A long-time supporter of [[open access]], Swartz wrote in his ''Guerilla Open Access Manifesto'':<ref name="OAGM">{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/GuerillaOpenAccessManifesto |title=Guerilla Open Access Manifesto |first=Aaron |last=Swartz |date=July 2008 |publisher=Internet Archive |quote=We need to buy secret databases and put them on the Web.&nbsp;We need to download scientific journals and upload them to file sharing networks.}}</ref>

{{blockquote|
The world's entire scientific ... heritage ... is increasingly being digitized and locked up by a handful of private corporations....

The Open Access Movement has fought valiantly to ensure that scientists do not sign their copyrights away but instead ensure their work is published on the Internet, under terms that allow anyone to access it.}}

Supporters of Swartz responded to news of his death with an effort called #PDFTribute<!-- <ref>{{cite web |url=http://pdftribute.net/ |title=Links scraped from Twitter hashtag #pdftribute |website=#PDFTribute |access-date=January 15, 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115005713/http://pdftribute.net/ |archive-date=January 15, 2013}}</ref> --> to promote Open Access.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cutler |first=Kim-Mai |title=PDF tribute to Aaron Swartz attracts roughly 1,500 links to copyright-protected research |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/01/13/pdf-tribute/ |work=[[TechCrunch]] |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-date=November 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104130053/https://techcrunch.com/2013/01/13/pdf-tribute/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="musil">{{cite news |last=Musil |first=Steven |title=Researchers honor Swartz's memory with PDF protest |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57563701-93/researchers-honor-swartzs-memory-with-pdf-protest/ |publisher=[[CNet News]] |date=January 13, 2013 |access-date=January 14, 2013 |archive-date=February 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214003359/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57563701-93/researchers-honor-swartzs-memory-with-pdf-protest/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On January 12, [[Eva Vivalt]], a development economist at the [[World Bank]], began posting her academic articles online using the [[hashtag]] ''#pdftribute'' as a tribute to Swartz.<ref name="musil" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Vivalt |first=Eva |title=In memoriam |work=Aid Economics |publisher=Eva Vivalt |date=January 12, 2013 |url=http://aideconomics.com/index.php/2013/01/12/in-memoriam/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313073622/http://aideconomics.com/index.php/2013/01/12/in-memoriam |archive-date=March 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Who we are |publisher=aidgrade.org |year=2012 |url=http://www.aidgrade.org/about |access-date=April 7, 2013 |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017110203/http://www.aidgrade.org/about |url-status=live}}</ref> Scholars posted links to their works.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/01/14/aaron_swartz_death_pdftribute_hashtag_aggregates_copyrighted_articles_released.html |title=Aaron Swartz death: #pdftribute hashtag aggregates copyrighted articles released online in tribute to internet activist |work=Slate |date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115221328/http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/01/14/aaron_swartz_death_pdftribute_hashtag_aggregates_copyrighted_articles_released.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz's story has exposed the topic of open access to scientific publications to wider audiences.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.slate.fr/story/67263/suicide-aaron-swartz-economie-publication-scientifique-libre-acces |title=Economie de la publication scientifique et libre accès: un débat relancé par la mort d'Aaron Swartz |date=January 21, 2013 |work=Slate |access-date=October 8, 2018 |language=fr-FR |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008175330/http://www.slate.fr/story/67263/suicide-aaron-swartz-economie-publication-scientifique-libre-acces |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Celui qui pourrait changer le monde: Aaron Swartz, écrits 1986–2013 |first1=Swartz |last1=Aaron |first2=Lawrence |last2=Lessig |first3=Marie-Mathilde |last3=Bortolotti |first4=Amarante |last4=Szidon |publisher=Éditions B42 – DL 2017 |isbn=978-2-917855-77-5 |oclc=993094009 |date=March 22, 2017 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/celuiquipourrait0000swar}}</ref> In Swartz's wake, many institutions and personalities have campaigned for open access to scientific knowledge.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.echosciences-grenoble.fr/articles/la-controverse-en-matiere-de-publication-des-articles-scientifiques |title=La controverse en matière de publication des articles scientifiques |access-date=October 8, 2018 |archive-date=October 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008061220/https://www.echosciences-grenoble.fr/articles/la-controverse-en-matiere-de-publication-des-articles-scientifiques |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz's death prompted calls for more open access to scholarly data (e.g., [[open science data]]).<ref>Manjoo, Farhad [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/01/aaron_swartz_jstor_mit_can_honor_the_internet_activist_by_fighting_to_make.html ''How MIT Can Honor Aaron Swartz''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819115439/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/01/aaron_swartz_jstor_mit_can_honor_the_internet_activist_by_fighting_to_make.html |date=August 19, 2018}} ''Slate'', January 31, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2013/02/01/will-aaron-swartzs-death-open-up-the-academy- Chan, Jennifer, ''To honor Aaron Swartz, let knowledge go free'', U.S. News & World Report, 1 February 2013.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819114623/https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2013/02/01/will-aaron-swartzs-death-open-up-the-academy- |date=August 19, 2018}}. Retrieved February 2, 2013.</ref> The Think Computer Foundation and the Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) at [[Princeton University]] announced scholarships awarded in memory of Swartz.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.recapthelaw.org/2013/04/02/two-recap-grants-awarded-in-memory-of-aaron-swartz/ |title=RECAP Project – Turning PACER Around |first=Free Law |last=Project |website=recapthelaw.org |access-date=April 4, 2013 |archive-date=May 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509034029/https://www.recapthelaw.org/2013/04/02/two-recap-grants-awarded-in-memory-of-aaron-swartz/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, Swartz was posthumously awarded the [[American Library Association]]'s [[James Madison Award]] for being an "outspoken advocate for public participation in government and unrestricted access to peer-reviewed scholarly articles."<ref>{{cite web |last=Kopfstein |first=Janus |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/3/13/4099792/aaron-swartz-to-receive-posthumous-freedom-of-information-award-for |title=Aaron Swartz to receive posthumous 'Freedom of Information' award for open access advocacy |website=[[The Verge]] |date=March 13, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=March 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315223429/http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/13/4099792/aaron-swartz-to-receive-posthumous-freedom-of-information-award-for |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/james-madison-award |title=James Madison Award |publisher=Ala.org |date=January 17, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322035516/http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/james-madison-award |url-status=live}}</ref> In March, the editor and editorial board of the ''[[Journal of Library Administration]]'' resigned ''en masse'', citing a dispute with the journal's publisher, [[Routledge]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/3/26/4149752/library-journal-resigns-for-open-access-citing-aaron-swartz |title=Entire library journal editorial board resigns, citing 'crisis of conscience' after death of Aaron Swartz |website=The Verge |date=March 26, 2013 |access-date=August 29, 2017 |archive-date=December 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231215050/http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/26/4149752/library-journal-resigns-for-open-access-citing-aaron-swartz |url-status=live}}</ref> One board member wrote of a "crisis of conscience about publishing in a journal that was not open access" after the death of Swartz.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/journals-editorial-board-resigns-in-protest-of-publishers-policy-toward-authors/43149 |title=Journal's Editorial Board Resigns in Protest of Publisher's Policy Toward Authors |last1=New |first1=Jake |date=March 26, 2013 |website=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]] |access-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108055058/http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/journals-editorial-board-resigns-in-protest-of-publishers-policy-toward-authors/43149 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/my-short-stint-on-the-jla-editorial-board/ |title=It was just days after Aaron Swartz' death, and I was having a crisis of conscience about publishing in a journal that was not open access. |work=Feral Librarian |date=March 23, 2013 |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-date=August 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824063817/http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/my-short-stint-on-the-jla-editorial-board/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2002, Swartz had stated that when he died, he wanted all the contents of his hard drives made publicly available.<ref>{{cite web |title=If I get hit by a truck... |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/continuity |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030117084743/http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/continuity |archive-date=January 17, 2003 |access-date=May 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/obituary/21569674-aaron-swartz-computer-programmer-and-activist-committed-suicide-january-11th-aged-26-aaron |title=Aaron Swartz |newspaper=The Economist |date=January 19, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-date=January 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119230958/http://www.economist.com/news/obituary/21569674-aaron-swartz-computer-programmer-and-activist-committed-suicide-january-11th-aged-26-aaron |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Congress===
Several members of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] – Republican [[Darrell Issa]] and Democrats [[Zoe Lofgren]] and subsequent Colorado Governor [[Jared Polis]] – all on the [[House Judiciary Committee]], raised questions regarding the government's handling of the case.

Calling the charges against him "ridiculous and trumped up," Polis said Swartz was a "martyr", whose death illustrated the need for Congress to limit the discretion of federal prosecutors.<ref name="Hill" /> Speaking at a memorial for Swartz on [[Capitol Hill]], Issa said{{blockquote|Ultimately, knowledge belongs to all the people of the world.... Aaron understood that.... Our copyright laws were created for the purpose of promoting useful works, not hiding them.|sign=|source=}}

Massachusetts Democratic Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] issued a statement saying "[Aaron's] advocacy for Internet freedom, social justice, and Wall Street reform demonstrated ... the power of his ideas ..."<ref name="HuffPo15" />

In a letter to Attorney General [[Eric Holder]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=74c0afb3-1bc2-49f5-9150-0a8f004ef438 |title=United States Senator John Cornyn, Texas |website=United States Senator John Cornyn, Texas |access-date=January 19, 2013 |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210528/http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=74c0afb3-1bc2-49f5-9150-0a8f004ef438 |url-status=live}}</ref> Texas Republican Senator [[John Cornyn]] asked, "On what basis did the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts conclude that her office's conduct was 'appropriate'?" and "Was the prosecution of Mr. Swartz in any way retaliation for his exercise of his rights as a citizen under the Freedom of Information Act?"<ref>{{cite news |last=Pearce |first=Matt |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-aaron-swartz-congressional-scrutiny-20130118,0,640020.story |title=Aaron Swartz suicide has U.S. lawmakers scrutinizing prosecutors |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 18, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120061624/http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-aaron-swartz-congressional-scrutiny-20130118,0,640020.story |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/john-cornyn-eric-holder-aaron-swartz_n_2505528.html |title=John Cornyn Criticizes Eric Holder Over Aaron Swartz's Death |work=HuffPost |date=January 18, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013 |first=Zach |last=Carter |archive-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120050630/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/john-cornyn-eric-holder-aaron-swartz_n_2505528.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2013/jan/18/top-senator-scolds-holder-over-reddit-founders-sui/ |title=Top senator scolds Holder over Reddit founder's suicide |work=The Washington Times |date=January 18, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-date=January 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119223248/http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2013/jan/18/top-senator-scolds-holder-over-reddit-founders-sui// |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Congressional investigations====
Issa, who chaired the [[United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]], announced that he would investigate the Justice Department's actions in prosecuting Swartz.<ref name="Hill">{{cite web |last=Sasso |first=Brendan |author2=Jennifer Martinez |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/139354-lawmakers-slam-doj-prosecution-of-swartz-as-ridiculous-absurd/ |title=Lawmakers slam DOJ prosecution of Swartz as 'ridiculous, absurd' |work=Hillicon Valley |publisher=[[Thehill.com|The Hill]] |date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417115912/http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/277353-lawmakers-blast-trumped-up-doj-prosecution-of-internet-activist |url-status=live}}</ref> In a statement to ''The Huffington Post'', he praised Swartz's work toward "open government and free access to the people." Issa's investigation has garnered some bipartisan support.<ref name="HuffPo15">{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/darrell-issa-aaron-swartz-_n_2481450.html |title=Darrell Issa Probing Prosecution of Aaron Swartz, Internet Pioneer Who Killed Himself |work=HuffPost |date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013 |first1=Ryan J. |last1=Reilly |archive-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120072228/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/darrell-issa-aaron-swartz-_n_2481450.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

On January 28, 2013, Issa and ranking committee member [[Elijah Cummings]] published a letter to U.S. Attorney General Holder, questioning why federal prosecutors had filed the superseding indictment.<ref name="Zetter">{{cite magazine |last=Zetter |first=Kim |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/01/doj-briefing-on-aaron-swartz/ |title=Congress Demands Justice Department Explain Aaron Swartz Prosecution &#124; Threat Level |magazine=Wired |date=January 29, 2013 |access-date=February 1, 2013 |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131204737/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/01/doj-briefing-on-aaron-swartz/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2013-01-28-DEI-EEC-to-Holder-re-Aaron-Schwartz-prosecution.pdf |title=Issa letter to Holder on Aaron Swartz case |access-date=February 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228010125/http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2013-01-28-DEI-EEC-to-Holder-re-Aaron-Schwartz-prosecution.pdf |archive-date=February 28, 2013}}</ref> On February 20, [[WBUR]] reported that Ortiz was expected to testify at an upcoming Oversight Committee hearing about her office's handling of the Swartz case.<ref>Boeri, David and David Frank, [http://www.wbur.org/2013/02/20/carmen-ortiz-investigation ''Ortiz Under Fire: Critics Say Swartz Tragedy Is Evidence Of Troublesome Pattern''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102080907/http://www.wbur.org/2013/02/20/carmen-ortiz-investigation |date=November 2, 2013}}, [[WBUR]], February 20, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.</ref> On February 22, Associate Deputy Attorney General [[Steven Reich]] conducted a briefing for congressional staffers involved in the investigation.<ref name="Reich" /><ref name="dirt" /> They were told that Swartz's ''Guerilla Open Access Manifesto'' played a role in prosecutorial decision-making.<ref name="Guard">McVeigh, Karen, [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/mar/01/aaron-swartz-partner-us-delaying-investigation ''Aaron Swartz's partner accuses US of delaying investigation into prosecution''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311181556/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/mar/01/aaron-swartz-partner-us-delaying-investigation |date=March 11, 2017}}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', March 1, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2015.</ref><ref name="Reich">Reilly, Ryan J., [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/22/aaron-swartz-prosecutors_n_2735675.html ''Aaron Swartz Prosecutors Weighed 'Guerilla' Manifesto, Justice Official Tells Congressional Committee''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625235548/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/22/aaron-swartz-prosecutors_n_2735675.html |date=June 25, 2018}}, ''[[HuffPost]]'', February 22, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013.</ref><ref name="dirt">Masnick, Mike, [https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130223/02284022080/doj-admits-it-had-to-put-aaron-swartz-jail-to-save-face-over-arrest.shtml ''DOJ Admits It Had To Put Aaron Swartz In Jail To Save Face Over The Arrest''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625235549/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130223/02284022080/doj-admits-it-had-to-put-aaron-swartz-jail-to-save-face-over-arrest.shtml |date=June 25, 2018}}, [[techdirt]], February 25, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013.</ref> Congressional staffers left this briefing believing that prosecutors thought Swartz had to be convicted of a felony carrying at least a short prison sentence in order to justify having filed the case against him in the first place.<ref name="Reich" /><ref name="dirt" />

Excoriating the Department of Justice as the "Department of Vengeance", Stinebrickner-Kauffman told the ''Guardian'' that the DOJ had erred in relying on Swartz's ''Guerilla Open Access Manifesto'' as an accurate indication of his beliefs by 2010. "He was no longer a single issue activist," she said. "He was into lots of things, from healthcare, to climate change to money in politics."<ref name="Guard" />

On March 6, Holder testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the case was "a good use of prosecutorial discretion."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130306/13444122220/holder-doj-used-discretion-bullying-swartz-press-lacked-discretion-quoting-facts.html |title=Holder: DOJ used discretion in bullying Swartz, press lacked discretion in quoting facts |last=Masnick |first=Mike |publisher=Techdirt |date=March 7, 2013 |access-date=April 12, 2013 |archive-date=November 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065823/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130306/13444122220/holder-doj-used-discretion-bullying-swartz-press-lacked-discretion-quoting-facts.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Stinebrickner-Kauffman issued a statement in reply, repeating and amplifying her claims of prosecutorial misconduct. Public documents, she wrote, reveal that prosecutor Stephen Heymann "instructed the Secret Service to seize and hold evidence without a warrant... lied to the judge about that fact in written briefs... [and] withheld exculpatory evidence... for over a year," violating his legal and ethical obligations to turn such evidence over to the defense.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130308/01330322250/aaron-swartzs-partner-accuses-doj-lying-seizing-evidence-without-warrant-withholding-exculpatory-evidence.html |last=Masnick |first=Mike |title=Aaron Swartz's partner accuses DOJ of lying, seizing evidence without a warrant & withholding exculpatory evidence |publisher=Techdirt |date=March 8, 2013 |access-date=June 28, 2019 |archive-date=November 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065814/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130308/01330322250/aaron-swartzs-partner-accuses-doj-lying-seizing-evidence-without-warrant-withholding-exculpatory-evidence.html |url-status=live}}</ref> On March 22, Senator [[Al Franken]] wrote Holder a letter expressing concerns, writing that "charging a young man like Mr. Swartz with federal offenses punishable by over 35 years of federal imprisonment seems remarkably aggressive – particularly when it appears that one of the principal aggrieved parties ... did not support a criminal prosecution."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/al-franken-eric-holder_n_2934627.html |title=Al Franken Sends Eric Holder Letter Over 'Remarkably Aggressive' Aaron Swartz Prosecution |work=HuffPost |date=March 22, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |first=Zach |last=Carter |archive-date=March 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325115528/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/al-franken-eric-holder_n_2934627.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Amendment to Computer Fraud and Abuse Act====
{{main|Aaron's Law}}
{{Wikisource|Rep Zoe Lofgren Introduces Bipartisan Aaron's Law}}
In 2013, Rep. [[Zoe Lofgren]] (D-Calif.) introduced a bill, ''[[Aaron's Law]]'' ({{USBill|113|hr|2454}}, {{USBill|113|s|1196}}<ref>{{USBill|113|hr|2454|site=yes}}; [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr2454 H.R. 2454] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715064344/http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr2454 |date=July 15, 2018}} at [[GovTrack]]; [http://www.opencongress.org/bill/113-h2454/ H.R. 2454] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112102251/http://www.opencongress.org/bill/113-h2454/ |date=November 12, 2013}} at [[OpenCongress]]. {{USBill|113|s|1196|site=yes}}; [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s1196 S. 1196] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715040512/http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s1196 |date=July 15, 2018}} at [[GovTrack]]; [http://www.opencongress.org/bill/113-s1196/ S. 1196] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112102253/http://www.opencongress.org/bill/113-s1196/ |date=November 12, 2013}} at [[OpenCongress]].</ref>) to exclude [[terms of service]] violations from the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and from the wire fraud statute.<ref>{{cite web |last=Musil |first=Steven |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57564193-93/new-aarons-law-aims-to-alter-controversial-computer-fraud-law/ |title=New 'Aaron's Law' aims to alter controversial computer fraud law |work=Internet & Media News |publisher=CNET |date=November 30, 2011 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116153556/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57564193-93/new-aarons-law-aims-to-alter-controversial-computer-fraud-law/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Lawrence Lessig wrote of the bill, "this is a critically important change.... The CFAA was the hook for the government's bullying.... This law would remove that hook. In a single line: no longer would it be a felony to breach a contract."<ref>{{cite news |first=Andrew 'Andy' |last=Greenberg |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/01/16/aarons-law-suggests-reforms-to-hacking-acts-but-not-enough-to-have-protected-aaron-swartz/ |title='Aaron's Law' Suggests Reforms To Computer Fraud Act (But Not Enough To Have Protected Aaron Swartz) |work=[[Forbes]] |date=January 16, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120090102/http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/01/16/aarons-law-suggests-reforms-to-hacking-acts-but-not-enough-to-have-protected-aaron-swartz/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Professor Orin Kerr, a specialist in the nexus between computer law and criminal law, wrote that he had been arguing for precisely this sort of reform of the Act for years.<ref>Kerr, Oren, [http://www.volokh.com/2013/01/27/aarons-law-drafting-the-best-limits-of-the-cfaa-and-a-reader-poll-on-a-few-examples-part-i/ ''Aaron's Law, Drafting the Best Limits of the CFAA, And A Reader Poll on A Few Examples''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819114902/http://volokh.com/2013/01/27/aarons-law-drafting-the-best-limits-of-the-cfaa-and-a-reader-poll-on-a-few-examples-part-i/ |date=August 19, 2018}} [[The Volokh Conspiracy|Volokh Conspiracy]], January 27, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2013.</ref> The [[ACLU]], too, has called for reform of the CFAA to "remove the dangerously broad criminalization of online activity."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aclu.org/secure/ask-congress-to-decriminalize-internet-terms-service |title=Help Protect The Next Aaron Swartz |newspaper=American Civil Liberties Union |publisher=Aclu.org |date=January 11, 2013 |access-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-date=February 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205224514/https://www.aclu.org/secure/ask-congress-to-decriminalize-internet-terms-service |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Electronic Frontier Foundation|EFF]] has mounted a campaign for these reforms.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9005 |title=Reform Draconian Computer Crime Law |publisher=Action.eff.org |access-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207081356/https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9005 |url-status=live}}</ref> Lessig's inaugural Chair lecture as Furman Professor of Law and Leadership was entitled ''Aaron's Laws: Law and Justice in a Digital Age''; he dedicated the lecture to Swartz.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HAw1i4gOU4 |title=Video of Lawrence Lessig's lecture, ''Aaron's Laws: Law and Justice in a Digital Age'' |via=YouTube |date=February 20, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324010436/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HAw1i4gOU4 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Lawrence Lessig |url=http://www.lessig.org/2013/01/the-next-words-a-lecture-on-aarons-law/ |title=the next words: A Lecture on Aaron's Law |publisher=Lessig |access-date=February 21, 2013 |archive-date=February 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208074946/http://www.lessig.org/2013/01/the-next-words-a-lecture-on-aarons-law/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.correntewire.com/transcript_lawrence_lessig_on_aarons_laws_law_and_justice_in_a_digital_age |title=Transcript: Lawrence Lessig on 'Aaron's Laws: Law and Justice in a Digital Age' |access-date=April 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122174846/http://www.correntewire.com/transcript_lawrence_lessig_on_aarons_laws_law_and_justice_in_a_digital_age |archive-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://harvardcrcl.org/a-summary-of-laurence-lessigs-chair-lecture-at-harvard-law-school/ |title=Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review – A summary of Lawrence Lessig's Chair Lecture at Harvard Law School |publisher=Harvardcrcl.org |date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530074341/http://harvardcrcl.org/a-summary-of-laurence-lessigs-chair-lecture-at-harvard-law-school/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Aaron's Law bill stalled in committee. [[Brian Knappenberger]] alleges this was due to [[Oracle Corporation]]'s financial interest in maintaining the status quo.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://o.canada.com/technology/swartz-doc-director-oracle-and-larry-ellison-killed-aarons-law |work=Postmedia |first=Jonathan |last=Dekel |title=Swartz doc director: Oracle and Larry Ellison killed Aaron's Law |date=May 1, 2014 |access-date=October 23, 2015 |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003014431/https://o.canada.com/technology/swartz-doc-director-oracle-and-larry-ellison-killed-aarons-law |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act====
The [[Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act]] (FASTR) is a bill that would mandate earlier public release of taxpayer-funded research. FASTR has been described as "The Other Aaron's Law."<ref>{{cite web |last=Peterson |first=Andrea |url=http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/02/16/1596891/fastr-open-access-aaron-swartz/ |title=How FASTR Will Help Americans |publisher=Thinkprogress.org |date=February 16, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227112324/http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/02/16/1596891/fastr-open-access-aaron-swartz/ |archive-date=February 27, 2013}}</ref>

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex.) introduced the Senate version in 2013, 2015, and 2017 while the bill was introduced to the House by Reps. [[Zoe Lofgren]] (D-Calif.), [[Michael F. Doyle|Mike Doyle]] (D-Pa.) and [[Kevin Yoder]] (R-Kans.). Senator Wyden wrote of the bill, "the FASTR act provides that access to taxpayer funded research should never be hidden behind a paywall."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-bill-makes-taxpayer-funded-research-available-to-the-public |title=Wyden Bill Makes Taxpayer Funded Research Available to the Public &#124; U.S. Senator Ron Wyden |publisher=Wyden.senate.gov |date=February 14, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-date=February 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130219225247/http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-bill-makes-taxpayer-funded-research-available-to-the-public |url-status=live}}</ref>

While the legislation had not passed {{as of|lc=y|2017|8}}, it helped to prompt some motion toward more open access on the part of the US administration. Shortly after the bill's original introduction, the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy]] directed "each Federal agency with over $100&nbsp;million in annual conduct of research and development expenditures to develop a plan to support increased public access to the results of research funded by the Federal Government."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/copyright/article/56076-in-historic-act-obama-administration-issues-public-access-directive.html |title=White House Issues Public Access Directive |work=Publishers Weekly |date=February 22, 2013 |access-date=May 28, 2013 |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606092012/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/copyright/article/56076-in-historic-act-obama-administration-issues-public-access-directive.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Aaron Swartz Day====

Since 2013 Aaron Swartz Day has been celebrated on his birthday, November 8, with [[hackathons]] and  livestreamed talks related to the many issues that Aaron was passionate about such as [[open access]], [[Progressivism in the United States|progressive]] politics & economics, and so on. Past speakers include [[Chelsea Manning]], [[Barrett Brown]], Trevor Timm from [[Freedom of the Press Foundation]], [[Cory Doctorow]], [[Cindy Cohn]], [[Jason Leopold]], and [[Brewster Kahle]].<ref>[https://www.aaronswartzday.org Aaron Swartz Day]</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2025}}

==Media==
Swartz has been featured in various works of art and has posthumously received dedications from numerous artists. He himself starred in few documentaries, [[Aardvark'd: 12 Weeks with Geeks]] with his Reddit colleagues and Paul Graham in 2005, and after leaving Reddit he appeared in [[Steal This Film II]] in 2007. Swartz's first posthumous work was in 2013, when [[Kenneth Goldsmith]] dedicated his "[[Printing out the Internet]]" exhibition to Swartz.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/print-this-web-page-mail-it-to-mexico-citys-labor-gallery-make-art/2013/07/26/534e2582-f320-11e2-ae43-b31dc363c3bf_story.html |title='Printing Out the Internet' exhibit is crowdsourced work of art |last=Zak |first=Dan |date=July 26, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=August 20, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017162802/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-07-26/lifestyle/40864364_1_aaron-swartz-art-gallery-gesture |archive-date=October 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/crowdsourced-art-project-aims-to-print-out-entire-internet-1.1355322 |title=Crowdsourced art project aims to print out entire internet |date=July 30, 2013 |publisher=[[CBC News]] |access-date=August 20, 2013 |archive-date=September 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902174404/http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/07/30/technology-as-it-happens-printing-the-internet-kenneth-goldsmith.html |url-status=live}}</ref> There are also dedicated biographical films for Aaron:

=== ''The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz'' ===
{{Main|The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz}}

On January 11, 2014, marking the first anniversary of his death, a preview was released of ''The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.takepart.com/internets-own-boy |title=Aaron Swartz documentary |work=TakePart |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119173725/http://www.takepart.com/internets-own-boy |url-status=live}}</ref> a documentary about Swartz, the [[NSA]] and [[SOPA]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/11/aaron-swartz-documentary_n_4578257.html |title=WATCH: Aaron Swartz Found NSA Scope 'Scary' |last=Zelman |first=Joanna |work=HuffPost |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817113039/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/11/aaron-swartz-documentary_n_4578257.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://pando.com/2014/01/11/sneak-preview-of-the-internets-own-boy-the-story-of-aaron-swartz/ "Sneak preview of ''The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz''"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015222/http://pando.com/2014/01/11/sneak-preview-of-the-internets-own-boy-the-story-of-aaron-swartz/ |date=June 17, 2018}} – ''[[PandoDaily]]''</ref> The film was officially released at the January 2014 [[Sundance Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://filmguide.sundance.org/film/13935/the_internets_own_boy_the_story_of_aaron_swartz |title=The Internet's Own Boy: The Story Of Aaron Swartz – Festival Program |publisher=[[Sundance Institute]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325033520/http://filmguide.sundance.org/film/13935/the_internets_own_boy_the_story_of_aaron_swartz|archive-date=March 25, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Democracy Now!]]'' covered the release of the documentary, as well as Swartz's life and legal case, in a sprawling interview with director [[Brian Knappenberger]], Swartz's father, brother, and his attorney.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2014/1/21/the_internets_own_boy_film_on |title=The Internet's Own Boy: Film on Aaron Swartz Captures Late Activist's Struggle for Online Freedom |date=January 21, 2014 |access-date=January 21, 2014 |publisher=[[Democracy Now!]] |archive-date=January 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121233215/http://www.democracynow.org/2014/1/21/the_internets_own_boy_film_on |url-status=live}}</ref> The documentary is released under a [[Creative Commons License]];<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/TheInternetsOwnBoyTheStoryOfAaronSwartz |title=The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz |last1=Knappenberger |first1=Brian |website=Internet Archive |date=June 27, 2014 |access-date=August 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/23/5337998/the-internets-own-boy-fights-for-reform-after-aaron-swartzs-death|title='The Internet's Own Boy' fights for reform after Aaron Swartz's death|first=Casey|last=Newton|date=January 23, 2014|website=The Verge|access-date=August 29, 2017|archive-date=June 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015310/https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/23/5337998/the-internets-own-boy-fights-for-reform-after-aaron-swartzs-death|url-status=live}}</ref> it debuted in theaters and on-demand in June 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=''Internet's Own Boy'': Tech activist's legacy |last=Matheson |first=Whitney |date=June 28, 2014 |newspaper=USA Today |page=B8}}</ref>

[[Mashable]] called the documentary "a powerful homage to Aaron Swartz". Its debut at ''Sundance'' received a standing ovation. ''Mashable'' printed, "With the help of experts, ''The Internet's Own Boy'' makes a clear argument: Swartz unjustly became a victim of the rights and freedoms for which he stood."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://mashable.com/2014/01/21/the-internets-own-boy-review/ |title='The Internet's Own Boy' Is a Powerful Homage to Aaron Swartz |date=January 23, 2014 |access-date=January 23, 2014 |publisher=[[Mashable]] |archive-date=January 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125051349/http://mashable.com/2014/01/21/the-internets-own-boy-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' described it as a "heartbreaking" story of a "tech wunderkind persecuted by the U.S. government", and a must-see "for anyone who knows enough to care about the way laws govern information transfer in the digital age".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/internets-own-boy-story-aaron-672701 |title=The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz: Sundance Review |last=DeFore |first=John |date=January 21, 2014 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=January 23, 2014 |archive-date=February 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205095518/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/internets-own-boy-story-aaron-672701 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== ''Killswitch'' ===
{{Main|Killswitch (film)}}

In October 2014, ''Killswitch'', a documentary film featuring Swartz, as well as Lawrence Lessig, [[Tim Wu]], and [[Edward Snowden]], received its world premiere at the [[Woodstock Film Festival]], where it won the award for Best Editing. The film focuses on Swartz's role in advocating for internet freedoms.<ref name="von Busack">{{cite news |url=http://www.metroactive.com/features/cinequest-2015/Killswitch-Edward-Snowden.html |title=Breaking the Internet: Killswitch Screens at Cinequest |last1=von Busack |first1=Richard |access-date=February 25, 2015 |newspaper=Metro Silicon Valley |archive-date=September 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916122214/http://www.metroactive.com/features/cinequest-2015/Killswitch-Edward-Snowden.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Swegles">{{cite news |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/film-657978-internet-big.html/ |title=Battle for Internet Control Fuels O.C. -produced Movie |last1=Swegles |first1=Fred |access-date=April 16, 2015 |newspaper=Orange County Register |archive-date=April 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404084902/http://www.ocregister.com/articles/film-657978-internet-big.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2015, ''Killswitch'' was invited to screen at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., by Congressman [[Alan Grayson]]. The event was held on the eve of the Federal Communications Commission's historic decision on [[net neutrality]]. Congressman Grayson, Lawrence Lessig, and [[Free Press (advocacy group)|Free Press]] CEO Craig Aaron spoke about Swartz and his fight on behalf of a free and open Internet at the event.<ref name="grayson.house.gov">{{cite news |url=http://grayson.house.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/330-grayson-screens-award-winning-killswitch-documentary |title=Grayson Screen Award Winning "Killswitch" Documentary |last1=Grayson |first1=Alan |access-date=February 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227162553/http://grayson.house.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/330-grayson-screens-award-winning-killswitch-documentary|archive-date=February 27, 2015|publisher=Congressman Grayson's House of Rep Official Web Page}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/aaron-swartz-killswitch_b_6957576.html |title=The Price That You Pay for Rocking The Boat |date=March 27, 2015 |work=HuffPost |access-date=March 27, 2015 |archive-date=March 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328190515/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/aaron-swartz-killswitch_b_6957576.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Congressman Grayson states that ''Killswitch'' is "one of the most honest accounts of the battle to control the Internet{{snds}}and access to information itself."<ref name="grayson.house.gov" /> [[Richard von Busack]] of the [[Metro Silicon Valley]] writes of ''Killswitch'', "Some of the most lapidary use of found footage this side of The Atomic Café".<ref name="von Busack" /> Fred Swegles of the ''[[Orange County Register]]'' remarks, "Anyone who values unfettered access to online information is apt to be captivated by ''Killswitch'', a gripping and fast-paced documentary."<ref name="Swegles" /> Kathy Gill of [[GeekWire]] asserts that "''Killswitch'' is much more than a dry recitation of technical history. Director Ali Akbarzadeh, producer Jeff Horn, and writer Chris Dollar created a human-centered story. A large part of that connection comes from Lessig and his relationship with Swartz."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.geekwire.com/2015/lawrence-lessig-seattle-money-politics-battle-internet/ |title=Lawrence Lessig at 'Killswitch' Seattle Premiere: Money, Politics, and the Battle for the Internet |last1=Gill |first1=Kathy |access-date=June 5, 2015 |agency=GeekWire |archive-date=June 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606032216/http://www.geekwire.com/2015/lawrence-lessig-seattle-money-politics-battle-internet/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Other films ===
He appeared in the unreleased film ''War for the Web'' where he had been interviewed a year prior to his death.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OhyBJxg9RA|title=Aaron's excerpt in War for the Web
|date=2013-01-22|website=YouTube}}</ref> The documentary was ultimately cancelled as it failed to reach its funding goal, but the footage was later used in ''The Internet's Own Boy''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3699631/?ref_=tt_urv|title=Comment about the cancellation of the documentary by peter-400-501642
|date=2017-05-03|website=IMDb}}</ref> Another biographical film about Swartz, ''Think Aaron'', was being developed by [[HBO Films]] as of 2020.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://deadline.com/2017/12/think-aaron-movie-based-on-life-of-hacktivist-aaron-swartz-in-works-at-hbo-films-1202218389/ |title='Think Aaron' Movie Based on Life Of "Hacktivist' Aaron Swartz in Works at HBO Films |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=December 4, 2017 |magazine=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=November 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106231221/https://deadline.com/2017/12/think-aaron-movie-based-on-life-of-hacktivist-aaron-swartz-in-works-at-hbo-films-1202218389/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Works ==
===Specifications===
* [[Markdown]]: In collaboration with [[John Gruber]], Swartz co-created Markdown<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hendler |first1=James |authorlink=James Hendler |chapter=Foreword by James Hendler |title=Aaron Swartz's A Programmable Web: An Unfinished Work |series=Synthesis Lectures on Data, Semantics, and Knowledge |date=10 November 2022 |publisher=[[Springer Nature Switzerland]] |pages=ix |chapter-url=https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=File:Aaron_Swartz_s_A_Programmable_Web_An_Unfinished_Work.pdf&page=11 |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:Aaron_Swartz_s_A_Programmable_Web_An_Unfinished_Work.pdf |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-79444-5 |isbn=978-3-031-79444-5 |access-date=12 January 2024 |language=en |via=[[Wikisource]] |quote=This document was originally produced in "markdown" format, a simplified HTML/Wiki format that Aaron co-designed with John Gruber ca. 2004. |archive-date=January 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112032656/https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:Aaron_Swartz_s_A_Programmable_Web_An_Unfinished_Work.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Krewinkel |first1=Albert |last2=Winkler |first2=Robert |title=Formatting Open Science: agilely creating multiple document formats for academic manuscripts with Pandoc Scholar |url=https://peerj.com/articles/cs-112/ |journal=[[PeerJ Computer Science]] |access-date=12 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202050144/https://peerj.com/articles/cs-112.pdf |pages=6 |language=en |doi=10.7717/peerj-cs.112 |date=8 May 2017 |volume=3 |doi-access=free |archive-date=December 2, 2017 |url-access= |quote=Markdown was originally developed by John Gruber in collaboration with Aaron Swartz, with the goal to simplify the writing of HTML documents |url-status=live}}</ref> – a [[lightweight markup language]] for generating [[HTML]] – and was the author of its html2text translator. The syntax for Markdown was influenced by Swartz's earlier '''{{visible anchor|atx}}''' language (2002),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/atx/intro.html|title=atx, the true structured text format|website=www.aaronsw.com|access-date=November 2, 2020|archive-date=January 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125194440/http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/atx/intro.html|url-status=live}}</ref> which today is primarily remembered for its syntax for specifying headers, known as ''atx-style headers:''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#philosophy |title=Daring Fireball – Markdown – Syntax |last=Gruber |first=John |author-link=John Gruber |publisher=[[Daring Fireball]] |access-date=August 16, 2015 |archive-date=February 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222052002/http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#philosophy |url-status=live}}</ref> Markdown itself remains in widespread use, with websites including [[Reddit]], [[GitHub]] and [[Discord]] using it.
* [[RDF/XML]] at W3C: In 2001, Swartz joined the [[Resource Description Framework|RDF]]Core working group at the [[World Wide Web Consortium]] (W3C),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/RDFCore/members.html |title=RDFCore Working Group Membership |date=December 1, 2002 |publisher=W3 |access-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115180239/http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/RDFCore/members.html |url-status=live}}</ref> where he authored RFC 3870, Application/RDF+XML Media Type Registration. The document described a new [[Internet media type|media type]], "RDF/XML", designed to support the [[Semantic Web]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3870 |title=Request for Comments No. 3870, 'application/rdf+xml' Media Type Registration |last=Swartz |first=A. |date=September 2004 |journal=Network Working Group |publisher=The Internet Society |doi=10.17487/RFC3870 |quote=A media type for use with the Extensible Markup Language serialization of the Resource Description Framework....&nbsp;[It] allows RDF consumers to identify RDF/XML documents.... |access-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-date=September 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917134108/http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3870 |url-status=live|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

===Software===
* [[SecureDrop|DeadDrop]]: In 2011–2012, Swartz, [[Kevin Poulsen]], and [[James Dolan (computer security expert)|James Dolan]] designed and implemented ''DeadDrop'', a system that allows anonymous informants to send electronic documents without fear of disclosure. In May 2013, the first instance of the software was launched by ''[[The New Yorker]]'' under the name ''Strongbox''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/05/strongbox-and-aaron-swartz.html |title=Strongbox and Aaron Swartz |last=Poulsen |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Poulsen |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|date=March 14, 2013|access-date=May 16, 2013 |archive-date=June 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605165342/http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/05/strongbox-and-aaron-swartz.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2013/05/introducing-strongbox-anonymous-document-sharing-tool.html |title=Introducing Strongbox |last1=Davidson |first1=Amy |author-link1=Amy Davidson (author) |date=May 15, 2013 |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |access-date=June 20, 2013 |archive-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629182444/http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2013/05/introducing-strongbox-anonymous-document-sharing-tool.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/aaron-swartz-legacy-lives-on-with-new-yorkers-strongbox-how-it-works/|title=Aaron Swartz legacy lives on with ''New Yorker''{{'}}s Strongbox: How it works|last1=Kassner|first1=Michael|date=May 20, 2013|magazine=[[TechRepublic]]|access-date=June 20, 2013|archive-date=July 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729032429/http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/aaron-swartz-legacy-lives-on-with-new-yorkers-strongbox-how-it-works/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Freedom of the Press Foundation]] has since taken over development of the software, which has been renamed ''[[SecureDrop]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/514298/20131016/securedrop-aaron-swartz-wikileaks-style-anonymous-submission.htm |title=Aaron Swartz-Designed Whistleblower Tool SecureDrop Launched by Press Freedom Foundation |last=Charlton |first=Alistair |date=October 16, 2013 |work=[[International Business Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017090350/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/514298/20131016/securedrop-aaron-swartz-wikileaks-style-anonymous-submission.htm |archive-date=October 17, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Tor2web]]: In 2008,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/tor2web |title=In Defense of Anonymity |last=Aaron |first=Swartz|date=October 24, 2008|access-date=February 4, 2014 |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820145558/http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/tor2web |url-status=live}}</ref> Swartz worked with [[Virgil Griffith]] to design and implement [[Tor2web]], an HTTP proxy for [[Tor-hidden service]]s. The proxy was designed to provide easy access to Tor from a basic [[web browser]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/12/tor-anonymized/ |title=New Service Makes Tor Anonymized Content Available to All |last=Zetter |first=Kim |date=December 12, 2008 |access-date=February 22, 2014 |magazine=Wired |archive-date=March 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318042302/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2008/12/tor-anonymized/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cheng|first=Jacqui|url=https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2008/12/tor2web-brings-anonymous-tor-sites-to-the-regular-web/ |title=tor2web brings anonymous Tor sites to the "regular" web |date=December 15, 2008 |website=Ars Technica|access-date=February 22, 2014 |archive-date=November 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102014621/https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2008/12/tor2web-brings-anonymous-tor-sites-to-the-regular-web/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The software is now maintained by Giovanni Pellerano within the [[GlobaLeaks]] project.

=== Publications ===
* {{cite journal |last1=Swartz |first1=Aaron |last2=Hendler |first2=James |author2-link=James Hendler |url=http://blogspace.com/rdf/SwartzHendler |title=The Semantic Web: A network of content for the digital city |journal=Proceedings of the Second Annual Digital Cities Workshop |place=[[Kyoto]], [[Japan|JP]] |date=October 2001 |publisher=[[Blogspace]]}}
* {{cite journal |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |doi=10.1109/5254.988466 |title=MusicBrainz: A Semantic Web service |journal=[[IEEE Intelligent Systems]] |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=76–77 |date=January–February 2002 |issn=1541-1672 |url=http://www.csee.umbc.edu/courses/771/papers/ieeeIntelligentSystems/webservices/musicBrainz.pdf |citeseerx=10.1.1.380.9338}}
* {{cite web |author1-link= John Gruber |last1=Gruber |first1=John |last2=Swartz |first2=Aaron |url=http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/ |title=Markdown definition |publisher=[[Daring Fireball]] |date=December 2004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040402182332/http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/ |archive-date=April 2, 2004}}
* {{cite web |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |title=Guerilla Open Access Manifesto |url=https://archive.org/stream/GuerillaOpenAccessManifesto/Goamjuly2008_djvu.txt |date=July 2008}}
* {{cite book |title=Building programmable Web sites |last1=Swartz |first1=Aaron |last2=Hendler |first2=James |author2-link=James Hendler |year=2009 |publisher=Morgan & Claypool |location=S.F. |isbn=978-1-59829-920-5}}
* {{cite AV media |people=Swartz, Aaron (Interviewee) |title=We can change the world |medium=Video |via=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUt5gjqNI1w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/JUt5gjqNI1w |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}
* {{cite AV media |people=Swartz, Aaron (Speaker) |title=Keynote address at Freedom To Connect 2012: How we stopped SOPA |medium=Video |via=[[YouTube]] |location=D.C. |date=May 21, 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgh2dFngFsg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Fgh2dFngFsg |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}
* {{cite journal |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |title=Aaron Swartz's ''A Programmable Web'': An Unfinished Work |journal=Synthesis Lectures on the Semantic Web: Theory and Technology |publisher=Morgan & Claypool Publishers |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=1–64 |orig-date=2009 |date=February 2013 |type={{Open access}} [[PDF]] |url=https://www.morganclaypoolpublishers.com/catalog_Orig/9781627051699_WEB.pdf |quote=To Dan Connolly, who not only created the Web but found time to teach it to me. |doi=10.2200/S00481ED1V01Y201302WBE005 |doi-broken-date=February 27, 2025 |s2cid=42502385 }}
* {{cite web |last1=Swartz |first1=Aaron |last2=Lucchese |first2=Adriano |url=http://www.discoverypublisher.com/publication/aaron-swartz-raw-thought-raw-nerve/ |title=Raw Thought, Raw Nerve: Inside the Mind of Aaron Swartz |place=New York City |date=November 2014 |publisher=Discovery Publisher |type={{Open access}} [[PDF]]/[[ePub]] }}
* {{cite book |last=Swartz |first=Aaron |title=The Boy Who Could Change the World: The Writings of Aaron Swartz |publisher=[[The New Press]] |date=January 2016 |url=https://thenewpress.com/books/boy-who-could-change-world|ol=OL25886237M}}

== See also ==
{{Scholia}}
*[[Alexandra Elbakyan]]
*[[List of Wikipedia people]]
*[[Sci-Hub]]
*[[Shadow library]]
*[[Z-Library]]

== Notes ==
<references group="note" />

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="martyr">*{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/12/aaron-swartz-obituary-101418/ |title=Why They Mattered: Aaron Swartz |date=December 22, 2013 |last=Lessig |first=Lawrence |author-link=Lawrence Lessig |quote=Then Aaron got lost in a story that Kafka could have penned—a two-year struggle with an over-eager federal prosecutor, keen to make an example out of this young man’s delict but failing to see that instead he was making Aaron a martyr. |work=[[Politico]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901125831/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/12/aaron-swartz-obituary-101418/ |url-status=live}}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2013-jan-29-la-fi-open-internet-20130130-story.html |title=A martyr in the fight for free online access to research |date=January 29, 2013 |last=Guynn |first=Jessica |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130041343/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2013-jan-29-la-fi-open-internet-20130130-story.html |url-status=live}}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014-06-27-aaron-swartz-documentary.html |title=How Aaron Swartz went from internet activist to martyr |date=June 27, 2014 |last=O'Brien |first=Terrence |work=[[Engadget]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130041336/https://www.engadget.com/2014-06-27-aaron-swartz-documentary.html |url-status=live}}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/aaron-swartz-and-21st-century-martyrdom-709/ |title=Aaron Swartz and 21st-Century Martyrdom |date=July 9, 2014 |last=Stoller |first=Matt |work=[[Motherboard (Vice)|Motherboard]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130041336/https://www.vice.com/en/article/wd4pb9/aaron-swartz-and-21st-century-martyrdom-709 |url-status=live}}
*{{cite web |url=https://qz.com/43231/why-aaron-swartz-is-becoming-a-martyr-and-why-you-should-care |title=Why Aaron Swartz is becoming a martyr, and why you should care |date=January 14, 2013 |last=Lichfield |first=Gideon |work=[[Quartz (publication)|Quartz]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130041343/https://qz.com/43231/why-aaron-swartz-is-becoming-a-martyr-and-why-you-should-care |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="prodigy">{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/computer-prodigy-aaron-swartz-remembered/ |title=Computer prodigy Aaron Swartz remembered |date=January 14, 2013 |last=Carey |first=Bridget |work=[[CNET]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130041336/https://www.cnet.com/culture/computer-prodigy-aaron-swartz-remembered/ |url-status=live}}
*{{cite magazine |url=https://business.time.com/2013/01/13/tech-prodigy-and-internet-activist-aaron-swartz-commits-suicide/ |title=Aaron Swartz, Tech Prodigy and Internet Activist, Is Dead at 26 |date=January 13, 2013 |last=Gustin |first=Sam |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224024335/https://business.time.com/2013/01/13/tech-prodigy-and-internet-activist-aaron-swartz-commits-suicide/ |url-status=live}}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014-06-27-aaron-swartz-documentary.html |title=How Aaron Swartz went from internet activist to martyr |date=June 27, 2014 |last=O'Brien |first=Terrence |work=[[Engadget]] |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130041336/https://www.engadget.com/2014-06-27-aaron-swartz-documentary.html |url-status=live}}
*{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-177191/ |title=The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of Aaron Swarz |date=February 15, 2013 |last=Amsden |first=David |quote=As a teen programming prodigy, he had helped to develop RSS, the now-ubiquitous tool allowing users to self-syndicate information online, and at 19 he was one of the builders of Reddit, the social news site that was purchased by Condé Nast, which turned Swartz into a millionaire before he could legally order a beer. |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=April 14, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727183405/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-177191/ |archive-date=July 27, 2018}}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/technology/aaron-swartz-internet-activist-dies-at-26.html |title=Internet Activist, a Creator of RSS, Is Dead at 26, Apparently a Suicide |date=January 12, 2013 |last=Schwartz |first=John |quote=She called Mr. Swartz "a complicated prodigy" and said "graybeards approached him with awe." |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=January 13, 2013 |url-access=registration |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112224056/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/technology/aaron-swartz-internet-activist-dies-at-26.html}}</ref>
<ref name="Indictment">{{cite web |url=http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/217117-united-states-of-america-v-aaron-swartz |title=Indictment, USA v. Swartz, 1:11-cr-10260, No. 2 (D.Mass. July 14, 2011) |publisher=MIT |date=July 14, 2011 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117085524/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/217117-united-states-of-america-v-aaron-swartz |url-status=live}} Superseded by {{cite web |url=https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Massachusetts_District_Court/1--11-cr-10260/USA_v_Swartz/53/ |title=Superseding Indictment, USA v. Swartz, 1:11-cr-10260, No. 53 (D.Mass. September 12, 2012) |website=Docketalarm.com |date=September 12, 2012 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611131319/https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Massachusetts_District_Court/1--11-cr-10260/USA_v._Swartz/53/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="A Chat with Aaron Swartz">{{cite web |last=Lenssen |first=Philipp |title=A Chat with Aaron Swartz |work=Google Blogoscoped |year=2007 |url=http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-05-07-n78.html |access-date = May 11, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100427085047/http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-05-07-n78.html |archive-date=April 27, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="ibt">{{cite web |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/who-aaron-swartz-jstor-mit-hacker-full-text-300177 |title=Who is Aaron Swartz, the JSTOR MIT Hacker? |work=[[International Business Times]] |first=Laura |last=Matthews |date=July 19, 2011 |access-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112205125/http://www.ibtimes.com//who-aaron-swartz-jstor-mit-hacker-full-text-300177 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="lessig-obituary">{{cite web |url=http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/40347463044/prosecutor-as-bully |first=Lawrence |last=Lessig |title=Prosecutor as bully |date=January 12, 2013 |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112202525/http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/40347463044/prosecutor-as-bully |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="SwartzAaronPR">{{cite press release |author=US Attorney's Office District of Massachusetts |title=Alleged Hacker Charged With Stealing Over Four Million Documents from MIT Network |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao/ma/news/2011/July/SwartzAaronPR.html |date=July 19, 2011 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120526080523/http://www.justice.gov/usao/ma/news/2011/July/SwartzAaronPR.html |archive-date=May 26, 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="Schwartz2009">{{cite news |title=An Effort to Upgrade a Court Archive System to Free and Easy |last=Schwartz |first=John |date=February 12, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/us/13records.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 12, 2013 |url-access=registration |archive-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021163000/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/us/13records.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Singel2009">{{cite magazine |title=FBI Investigated Coder for Liberating Paywalled Court Records |last=Singeln |first=Ryan |date=October 5, 2009 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/10/swartz-fbi/ |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=February 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211024620/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/swartz-fbi/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Wired-arrest">{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/07/swartz-arrest/ |title=Feds Charge Activist as Hacker for Downloading Millions of Academic Articles |date=July 19, 2011 |first=Ryan |last=Singel |work=[[Wired magazine|Wired]] |access-date=January 12, 2013 |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115040815/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/swartz-arrest/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="BusinessInsider">{{cite news |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/statement-family-aaron-swartz-2013-1 |title=Family of Aaron Swartz Blames MIT, Prosecutors For His Death |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=January 12, 2013 |access-date=January 12, 2013 |last=Thomas |first=Owen |author-link=Owen Thomas (writer) |archive-date=January 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114200311/http://www.businessinsider.com/statement-family-aaron-swartz-2013-1 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

==Further reading==
{{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?409990-4/justin-peters-discusses-idealist Presentation by Justin Peters on ''The Idealist'', June 11, 2016], [[C-SPAN]]}}

*{{cite journal |title=Losing Aaron |journal=[[Boston (magazine)|Boston]] |date=January 2014 |author=Nanos, Janelle |url=http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/article/2014/01/02/bob-swartz-losing-aaron/ |access-date=January 3, 2014 |archive-date=October 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026160508/http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/article/2014/01/02/bob-swartz-losing-aaron/ |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |title=The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet |publisher=[[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]] |first=Justin |last=Peters |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-4767-6772-7}} Biography of Swartz.
* Poulsen, Kevin. "[https://www.wired.com/2013/07/mit-swartz-intervene/ MIT Moves to Intervene in Release of Aaron Swartz's Secret Service File]." ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''. July 18, 2013.

===Documentary===
*[[Brian Knappenberger]] (Producer and Director), ''[[iarchive:TheInternetsOwnBoyTheStoryOfAaronSwartz|The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz]].'' Participant Media: 2014. <small>Via The Internet Archive, Run time: 105 minutes.</small>
* Ali Akbarzadeh (Director), ''[[Killswitch (film)|Killswitch: The Battle to Control the Internet]]'', Akorn Entertainment: 2014

==External links==
{{External links|date=June 2020}}
{{Sister project links|auto=1|d=Q302817}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://github.com/aaronsw Aaron Swartz] on [[GitHub]]
<!-- Please do not remove the Twitter link; see extensive talk discussion -->
* {{Twitter}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130114025008/http://www.rememberaaronsw.com/ Remembrances] (2013–&nbsp;) with obituary and official statement from family and partner
* [[iarchive:aaronsw|''The Aaron Swartz Collection'']] at [[Internet Archive]] (2013–&nbsp;) (podcasts, e-mail correspondence, other materials)
* {{IMDb name|id=2290901}}
* [[iarchive:gov.uscourts.mad.137971|Case Docket: ''US v. Swartz'']]
* [http://swartz-report.mit.edu Report to the President: MIT and the Prosecution of Aaron Swartz]
* [http://docs.jstor.org/ JSTOR Evidence in ''United States vs. Aaron Swartz''] {{ndash}} A collection of documents and events from JSTOR's perspective. Hundreds of emails and other documents they provided the government concerning the case.
* [https://swartzfiles.com/ Federal law enforcement documents about Aaron Swartz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212094612/https://swartzfiles.com/ |date=December 12, 2020 }}, released under the Freedom of Information Act

{{Open navbox}}
{{Internet Hall of Fame}}
{{Intellectual property activism}}
{{Reddit}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swartz, Aaron}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:2013 suicides]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Activists from Illinois]]
[[Category:American computer programmers]]
[[Category:Jewish American atheists]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:American technology writers]]
[[Category:American Wikimedians]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from New York City]]
[[Category:Businesspeople in information technology]]
[[Category:Copyright activists]]
[[Category:Internet activists]]
[[Category:Lake Forest College alumni]]
[[Category:Male suicides]]
[[Category:North Shore Country Day School alumni]]
[[Category:Open access activists]]
[[Category:Open content activists]]
[[Category:People charged with computer fraud]]
[[Category:People from Highland Park, Illinois]]
[[Category:Reddit people]]
[[Category:Stanford University alumni]]
[[Category:Suicides by hanging in New York City]]
[[Category:Wikipedia people]]
[[Category:Writers from Chicago]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology people]]
[[Category:People associated with WikiLeaks]]
[[Category:People with ulcerative colitis]]