Aaron Swartz: How We Stopped SOPA

Aaron H. Swartz (November 8, 1986 -- January 11, 2013) speaking at ThoughtWorks August 16, 2012, tells how a tiny number of online activists managed to defeat SOPA, the Internet censoring bill, pushed by the entertainment industry, which had spent hundreds of millions of dollars per year trying to get it passed.

Aaron Swartz, 26, was found dead Jan 11, 2013 in his New York apartment, an apparent suicide. He had apparently hanged himself. Swartz's girlfriend discovered the body.

Aaron Swartz became an Internet folk hero, pushing to make many Web files free and open to the public. But in July 2011, he was indicted on federal charges of gaining illegal access to JSTOR, a subscription-only service for distributing scientific and literary journals, and downloading 4.8 million articles and documents, nearly the entire library.

Charges in the case, including wire fraud and computer fraud, were pending at the time of Mr. Swartz's death, carrying potential penalties of up to 35 years in prison and $1 million in fines. Lawrence Lessig of the Safra Center at Harvard who worked for a time on behalf of Swartz's legal defense denounced the federal bullying: Why was it so necessary Aaron Swartz be labeled a felon? Legally, a felony requires an evil heart!

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  News & Politics

[LiveFastDieYoung013]

He fought the good fight, in 26 years did more good for the world then most people will do in their entire lives, R.I.P Aaron

[dragonfly111cute]

It breaks my heart that Aaron is no longer here....he was truly a special person

[gonfishin077]

he was murdered he didnt commit suicide just like the dc madam

[volcanicwalrus]

i really want transcripts from this speech

[J Whit]

Back Again on the day 0BAMA White House said Cispa "this legislation still doesn't adequately address our fundamental concerns"

It is going to Happen! Rest Aaron, Peace! This ImNSh0 is way better the the F2P20012 presentation. This with multimedia/music & Better Hair & Shirt & Just more Aaron!

[Chris Pie All]

It would be difficult to prove that in a court of law also he wasn't allowed anymore appeals. Even pedophiles are given almost unlimited appeals.

[Billy Slusser]

I don't wanna die.

[FireEyedMaidOfWar]

There can be very little doubt that this nerd was murderer, as he did really annoy the government by stopping their precious SOPA, harmed serious corporate interests and was likely to stop all attempts to renew this scheme and more over he was talking about constitutional rights and attracted young people to this subject; so he was charged with some phoney crimes and than executed at prison and a couple of months later SOPA passed as CISPA unanimously again.

[vluggejaapie1000]

Prodigy's like that you only see once in a decade. But I hope you are right.

[Tyler Dillon]

The problem was.. was that he would have created 500,000 super nerds to fight the good fight... now he will only make 50,000.

[Jshect]

I wish we could all come together to stop these wars, The National Defense Act etc. I hope where Aaron fell because of our government, 1,000 new "Aaron"s will take his place.

RIP.

[W1SEMANPUBLISHING]

#amen