The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz chronicles the remarkable life and untimely death of Aaron Swartz, a young American computer programmer and information activist. Born on November 8, 1986, in Chicago, Illinois, Swartz demonstrated an extraordinary affinity for computer programming from an early age. He attended the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and went on to study physics at Carnegie Mellon University before dropping out to pursue his passion for software development. Swartz's early fascination with the internet and its potential to democratize access to information led him to become a leading figure in the development of social media. At the age of 14, he co-authored a blogging platform called Infogami, which eventually merged with a similar project called Diaspora. His most notable contribution, however, was the development of RSS (Really Simple Syndication), a standard for sharing content between websites that has become ubiquitous in the digital age. As the internet's influence on modern society grew, so did Swartz's involvement in social justice and political activism. He became a key figure in the movement for open-access academic research, advocating for the unrestricted sharing of scientific and scholarly knowledge. This endeavor earned him the nickname "internet's own boy," a recognition of his pioneering efforts to harness the internet's potential for the greater good. In 2007, Swartz co-founded the online activism platform Demand Progress, which aimed to mobilize citizens to take action on policy issues. He was instrumental in the successful campaign to kill the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), a proposed bill that sought to combat online piracy through censorship. Through Demand Progress, Swartz also organized a boycott of the online payment processor PayPay and launched a grassroots campaign to defeat the proposed internet censorship bill, PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). However, Swartz's commitment to open-access activism led him to engage in some contentious activities. In 2010, he launched an initiative called "JSTOR for All," a project aimed at making academic research freely available online. As a result, Swartz gained access to JSTOR's vast repository of academic articles through a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) computer, which he used to download approximately 4.8 million articles. In January 2011, Swartz was arrested by the FBI at the doorstep of MIT's computer lab, where he was alleged to have accessed JSTOR's system without authorization. He was subsequently charged with multiple counts of computer fraud and identity theft, which carried the potential for a life sentence in prison. The charges brought against Swartz weighed heavily on his mental and emotional well-being. The young activist felt overwhelmed by the prospect of a lengthy prison term, a fate that seemed certain to silence his voice and undermine his work. As his trial loomed, Swartz struggled with anxiety and depression, confiding in friends and family about his fears of the upcoming trial and his feelings of despair. Under mounting pressure and in the face of a seemingly insurmountable indictment, Swartz felt increasingly isolated and marginalized by the very community he had helped to empower. His relationships with friends and loved ones began to fray, and he found himself struggling to come to terms with the personal costs of his activism. In the early hours of January 11, 2013, Aaron Swartz hung himself in his Brooklyn apartment, just a few days after learning that a 13-count federal indictment had been filed against him. His family publicly acknowledged the overwhelming burden of stress and despair that had led to his tragic death. The Internet's Own Boy offers a poignant and thought-provoking portrayal of Aaron Swartz's extraordinary life and untimely demise. The documentary, based on interviews with family, friends, and close associates, sheds light on the complexities of Swartz's activism, the challenges he faced, and the devastating impact of his life's work on those close to him. In a fitting tribute to Swartz's legacy, the documentary concludes by highlighting the power and potential of the internet to drive positive change in the world. Swartz's vision for an open, free, and democratic internet continues to inspire a new generation of activists, innovators, and thinkers, whose collective efforts are striving to reshape the future of the online world in a manner that upholds the values of transparency, accountability, and social justice that Aaron Swartz fought tirelessly to promote.