The Sun Shines on the Festival and Aaron Swartz

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, directed by Brian Knappenberger, premiered yesterday. A much talked about documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, this moving, personal portrait keeps the viewer on the edge of her seat. Many of us had never heard Aaron Swartz’s name until the sad news of his death spread on January 11, 2013. Mr. Swartz was an Internet and programming genius, as well as an activist who was a key voice in the campaign that prevented SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) from passing in 2011. This bill was meant to fight Internet copyright violations, but it would have also allowed the U.S. government to shut down entire web sites. “Essentially,” Swartz said, “it stopped Americans from communicating entirely with certain groups....”

Swartz firmly believed in public access to public domain, and was increasingly frustrated by the exorbitant fees charged by corporations like JSTOR for scholarly articles. Swartz wrote a manifesto in which he said, “But sharing isn't immoral — it's a moral imperative. Only those blinded by greed would refuse to let a friend make a copy.” This manifesto and other actions of his caught the attention of federal prosecutors who relentlessly pursued him until his death. The question that hangs over the film, and over Mr. Swartz’s tragically short life, is: “Did he really do anything wrong? And if so, whom did he hurt?”

 

Mixing homemade videos, TV interviews, and personal writing, the film brings Mr. Swartz to life in all of his kindness, courageousness, and intelligence. The story traces his early life when he was a precocious child up to his involvement in innovative programming and further into his increasingly precarious world. Many of Aaron’s friends, family, and colleagues are interviewed, including the creator of the Internet, Tim Berners-Lee.

 

Mr. Knappenberger has made an important film that is a must-see for anyone who questions the status quo and is interested in the perils and rewards of the Information Age. If you missed it, The Internet’s Own Boy will open in wider release on June 27th.