Aaron Swartz did not have to die. Most of us on the internet have used technology that he had a hand in creating. He helped devlop RSS, a technology that powers this very blog. Swartz also helped to create a popular website called Reddit. It was his Internet activism that got him into trouble. Swartz released for free a lot of documents that people would normally have to pay for. These academic journals were not secret or private, they were just behind a pay firewall that Swartz breached. You see, Aaron Swartz believed that information should be free. Sure he was misguided and should have faced consequences for his actions but would you believe that he was facing 13 felony counts for his actions? It would seem that federal prosecutor Carmen Ortiz wanted to make an example of Swartz and was planning to throw the book at him. Swartz's lawyer could have successfully argued that the 13 felony counts were outrageous and may have been able to clear his name. Brendan Spaar believes that Aaron Swartz was a troubled person who was trying to come to terms with society but did not need to die.
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57565927-38/swartz-didnt-face-prison-until-feds-took-over-case-report-says/
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57565927-38/swartz-didnt-face-prison-until-feds-took-over-case-report-says/
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