AARON SWARTZ
Aaron Swartz a.k.a. aaronsw (1986–2013) was a brilliant programmer, writer, and activist whose work profoundly shaped the digital world.
He was in the first Y Combinator batch (Summer 2005). He was part of the founding team of Reddit, he developed the RSS web feed format, the technical architecture of Creative Commons, the website framework web.py, the lightweight markup language format Markdown, and created “Open Library” - a project by the Internet Archive.
A fierce advocate for open access to information, Aaron's commitment to making knowledge freely available made him a target. Pursued relentlessly by the U.S. government for his activism, Aaron tragically took his own life at the age of 26, a loss that many view as a consequence of government overreach. His legacy endures as a powerful symbol of the fight for internet freedom.
THE PLAN
Build a statue of Aaron Swartz
Carved in marble, to be installed in a public park in [UNDISCLOSED], San Francisco
To be unveiled on November 8th 2024
We’re planning to have everything in place for (what would have been) Aaron’s 38th birthday.
For those who wish to attend the unveiling ceremony, register here.
Why?
This statue reminds us all that the internet, once a beacon of free expression and open access to information, is under siege. Freedom of speech, privacy, and the right to share knowledge are increasingly threatened by powerful forces seeking to control and censor the digital world.
This statue stands as a symbol of that ongoing fight and a call to action: The internet needs you to defend it and ensure that it remains a space of freedom of speech, open access and innovation for generations to come.
The future of humanity is at stake.
It’s time to build. It’s time to fight.
THE PLAN
Build a statue of Aaron Swartz
Carved in marble, to be installed in a public park in [UNDISCLOSED], San Francisco
To be unveiled on November 8th 2024
We’re planning to have everything in place for (what would have been) Aaron’s 38th birthday.
For those who wish to attend the unveiling ceremony, register here.
Why?
This statue reminds us all that the internet, once a beacon of free expression and open access to information, is under siege. Freedom of speech, privacy, and the right to share knowledge are increasingly threatened by powerful forces seeking to control and censor the digital world.
This statue stands as a symbol of that ongoing fight and a call to action: The internet needs you to defend it and ensure that it remains a space of freedom of speech, open access and innovation for generations to come.
The future of humanity is at stake.
It’s time to build. It’s time to fight.