Aaron Swartz, born on November 8th, 1986, was an activist dedicated to an open Internet, freedom and transparency.
He was hounded by the US government for sharing JSTOR research articles that we largely paid for, but that a small number of corporations have locked up in for-profit journals. He spent the fortune he received from the sale of Reddit on his legal defense.
Living with depression and facing 50 years in prison and $1 million in fines, he took his own life. He died far too young with so much left to accomplish.
The US, Australian and UK Pirate Parties will screen “The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz” to celebrate Aaron’s life and to bring needed attention to mental health. The screening schedule is:
- Tuesday, Nov. 7th at 8pm CST/9pm EST;
- Wednesday, Nov. 8th at 8pm AEDT/4am EST (PPAU Details);
- Wednesday, Nov. 8th at 8pm GMT/3pm EST (PPUK Discord Link);
- Wednesday, Nov. 8th at 8pm CST/9pm EST.
The first and last screenings will appear on the US Pirate Party Discord #pirate-chat channel. To sign up, go to https://discord.gg/CEqfwbnx, then view the #pirate-chat channel.
If you cannot attend, you can find copies of “The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz” on-line at:
Remembering Aaron Swartz brings tears to my eyes everything! He was the man and must be remembered.