Aaron Swartz

Aaron Hillel Swartz (November 8, 1986 – January 11, 2013) was an American computer programmer, writer, political organizer, and Internet activist who also helped invent the first version of RSS. He was arrested on January 6, 2011 and charged with illegally downloading files from JSTOR. Swartz committed suicide on January 11, 2013.

 Early life and career 
Swartz was born on November 8, 1986 in Chicago, Illinois.  Swartz left high school in the 10th grade. He studied at Stanford University. In 2008 Swartz started Watchdog.net, "the good government site with teeth". In 2009 he helped start the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. In 2010 Swartz started Demand Progress.

 Death 
Swartz committed suicide by hanging himself in his apartment in Brooklyn, New York City, aged 26. Speaking at his son's funeral, Robert Swartz said, "[Aaron] was killed by the government, and MIT betrayed all of its basic principles".

Swartz was given a place in the Internet Hall of Fame in June 2013.

A documentary about Swartz called The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz was released in 2014.

References

Other websites

Category:1986 births
Category:2013 deaths
Category:Activists from Chicago
Category:Jewish American writers
Category:Suicides by hanging in the United States
Category:Writers from Chicago