Aaron Swartz

Date of Birth: November 8, 1986

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: January 11, 2013

Biography

Aaron Swartz was an influential American computer programmer, entrepreneur, writer, political organizer, and Internet activist. He was born on November 8, 1986, in Chicago, Illinois. From a young age, Swartz demonstrated an exceptional aptitude for technology and programming. He co-authored the RSS 1.0 specification when he was just 14 years old, which laid the foundation for modern web syndication. Swartz later attended Stanford University but dropped out after his first year to pursue his passion for technology and digital rights. He co-founded the social news site Reddit, which was later sold to Condé Nast Publications. Swartz was also a strong advocate for open access to information, playing a pivotal role in the development of the Creative Commons licenses and fighting against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). In addition to his technical achievements, Swartz was deeply involved in political activism, particularly focused on issues of internet freedom and transparency. He founded the nonprofit organization Demand Progress, which campaigns against internet censorship and other forms of government overreach. Tragically, Aaron Swartz took his own life on January 11, 2013, at the age of 26. His death was a significant loss to the tech community and ignited widespread discussion about internet freedom, legal reform, and mental health.

5 Interesting Facts about Aaron Swartz

1. Aaron Swartz co-founded Reddit, one of the most popular social news websites, which was later acquired by Condé Nast.

2. He was instrumental in the development of the RSS 1.0 specification at the age of 14.

3. Swartz was a co-founder of Demand Progress, an advocacy group that played a key role in the fight against SOPA.

4. He was a significant contributor to the creation of the Creative Commons licenses.

5. Swartz was posthumously inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Aaron Swartz

1. “Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves.”

2. “With enough of us, around the world, we’ll not only send a strong message opposing the privatization of knowledge—we’ll make it a thing of the past.”

3. “Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. What people call intelligence just boils down to curiosity.”

4. “The world’s entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries in books and journals, is increasingly being digitized and locked up by a handful of private corporations.”

5. “It’s no longer OK not to understand how the Internet works.”