Jun 26 2014
New Film Tells The Story of Aaron Swartz, The Promising Internet Activist and Innovator Who Killed Himself
A year and a half ago, a young innovator who was one of the most promising activists on open technology and internet freedom, and a brilliant programmer, Aaron Swartz, was found dead in his apartment. He was only 27 years old.
The co-founder of websites like Reddit, and of ideas like the Creative Commons, Swartz was a child prodigy who learned very early on that he did not like the corporate culture infusing the internet and wanted to be a part of the movement keeping the internet open and freely available to the public.
He helped to launch groups like Demand Progress, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, one of the groups that helped to elect Senator Elizabeth Warren.
But, he was arrested two years before his death by police on the campus of MIT, and charged with illegally downloading materials from a database called JSTOR, eventually leading to a number of serious charges, including violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. If convicted he could have faced a $1 million fine, and a 35 year prison sentence.
Now, there is a documentary about Aaron Swartz and the ideas that motivated him called The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz. The film is made by Brian Knappenberger, whose earlier film was We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists.
GUEST: Brian Knappenberger, Producer, writer, and director of The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz
Click here for more information about the film.
The film is screening at the following locations:
June 26
Los Angeles, CA?
Sundance Cinemas West Hollywood
June 27
Pasadena, CA
?Laemmle Playhouse 7
July 4
San Francisco, CA
?Roxie Theater
Cupertino, CA?
BlueLight Cinemas
One Response to “New Film Tells The Story of Aaron Swartz, The Promising Internet Activist and Innovator Who Killed Himself”
Hi , please I would like to have more information about the life and work of Aaron swartz.