Aaron Hillel Swartz (November 8, 1986 – January 11, 2013) was an American computer programmer, writer, political organizer, and Internet activist who also helped inventing the first version of RSS. He was arrested in January 6, 2011 and charged with illegally downloading files from JSTOR.
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 was released in 2014.