Internetprodigy,activistAaronSwartzcommitssuicideByMichaelMartinez,CNNJanuary13,2013--Updated0128GMT(0928HKT)|AaronSwartz,theInternetpoliticalactivistwhoco-wrotetheinitialspecificationforRSS,wasfounddeadatage26(CNN)--AaronSwartz,anInternetsavantwhoatayoungageshapedtheonlineerabyco-developingRSSandRedditandlaterbecameadigitalactivist,hascommittedsuicide.Swartz'sbodywasfoundFridayeveninginBrooklyn,saidEllenBorakove,aspokeswomanwiththeNewYorkmedicalexaminer'soffice.The26-year-oldhadhangedhimselfinhisapartment.Hisfamilyandpartnersaidtheywere"inshock,andhavenotyetcometotermswithhispassing.""Aaron'sinsatiablecuriosity,creativity,andbrilliance;hisreflexiveempathyandcapacityforselfless,boundlesslove;hisrefusaltoacceptinjusticeasinevitable--thesegiftsmadetheworld,andourlives,farbrighter,"theysaidinastatement."We'regratefulforourtimewithhim,tothosewholovedhimandstoodwithhim,andtoallofthosewhocontinuehisworkforabetterworld."Aprodigy,SwartzwasbehindsomeoftheInternet'sdefiningmoments,soaringtoheightsthatmanydevelopersonlydreamof.Atthesametime,hewasplaguedbylegalproblemsarisingfromhisaggressiveactivism,andhewasalsoknowntosufferdepression,apersonalmatterthathepubliclyrevealedonhisblog.TechnologyactivistCoryDoctorowmetSwartzwhenhewas14or15,Doctorowsaidonhisblog."Insomanyways,hewasanadult,eventhen,withakindofintense,fastintellectthatreallymademefeellikehewaspartandparceloftheInternetsociety,"Doctorowwrote."ButAaronwasalsoapersonwho'dhadproblemswithdepressionformanyyears,"Doctorowblogged.Headdedthat"whateverproblemsAaronwasfacing,killinghimselfdidn'tsolvethem.WhateverproblemsAaronwasfacing,theywillgounsolvedforever."Atage14,Swartzco-wrotetheRSSspecification.HewaslateradmittedtoStanfordUniversity,butdroppedoutafterayearbecause,ashewroteinablogpost,"Ididn'tfinditaveryintellectualatmosphere,sincemostoftheotherkidsseemedprofoundlyunconcernedwiththeirstudies."WhathedidnextwashelpdevelopReddit,thesocialnewswebsitethatwaseventuallyboughtbyheavyweightpublisherCondeNastin2006.SwartzthenengagedinInternetdigitalactivism,co-foundingDemandProgress,apoliticalactiongroupthatcampaignsagainstInternetcensorship.Buthepushedthelegallimits,allegedlyputtinghimonthewrongsideofthelaw.In2011,hewasarrestedinBostonforallegedcomputerfraudandillegallyobtainingdocumentsfromprotectedcomputers.HewaslaterindictedinanincidentinwhichheallegedlystolemillionsofonlinedocumentsfromtheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology.HepleadednotguiltyinSeptember,accordingtoMIT's"TheTech"newspaper.Twoyearsearlier,theFBIinvestigatedhimafterhereleasedmillionsofU.S.federalcourtdocumentsonline.Theallegedhackingwassignificantbecausethedocumentscamefromthegovernment-runPublicAccesstoCourtElectronicRecords,orPACER,whichtypicallychargesafee,whichwas8centsapagein2009.Nochargeswerefiledinthatcase,butonOctober5,2009,hepostedonlinehisFBIfilethatheapparentlyrequestedfromtheagency.HeredactedtheFBIagents'namesandhispersonalinformation,hesaid.Inthatfile,theFBIsaidmorethan18millionpageswithavalueofabout$1.5millionweredownloadedfromPACERinSeptember2008toSwartz'shomeinHighlandPark,Illinois."AsIhoped,it'strulydelightful,"hewroteofhisFBIfile.Swartz'sfamilyandpartnerrecalledhis"commitmenttosocialjustice,"andcalledhisdeath"theproductofacriminaljusticesystemrifewithintimidationandprosecutorialoverreach."TheycriticizedU.S.prosecutorsforseeking"anexceptionallyharsharrayofcharges(for)anallegedcrimethathadnovictims,"andMITbecauseitdidnot"standupforAaron.""DecisionsmadebyofficialsintheMassachusettsU.S.Attorney'sofficeandatMITcontributedtohisdeath,"theysaid.ChristinaDiIorio-Sterling,aspokeswomanfortheU.S.DepartmentofJustice,declinedtocommentonSwartz'scase,citingrespectforthefamily.HisfuneralwillbeheldTuesdayatasynagogueinHighlandPark.Swartz,whocompletedafellowshipatHarvard'sEthicsCenterLabonInstitutionalCorruption,frequentlybloggedabouthislife,successandpersonalstruggles.Insomeinstances,hewroteaboutdeath."Thereisamoment,immediatelybeforelifebecomesnolongerworthliving,whentheworldappearstoslowdownandallitsmyriaddetailssuddenlybecomebrightly,achinglyapparent,"hewroteina2007posttitled"AMomentBeforeDying."OnNovember27,2007,hebloggedabout"depressedmood.""Surelytherehavebeentimeswhenyou'vebeensad.Perhapsalovedonehasabandonedyouoraplanhasgonehorriblyawry.Yourfacefalls.Perhapsyoucry.Youfeelworthless.Youwonderwhetherit'sworthgoingon,"hewrote."Everythingyouthinkaboutseemsbleak—thethingsyou'vedone,thethingsyouhopetodo,thepeoplearoundyou.Youwanttolieinbedandkeepthelightsoff.Depressedmoodislikethat,onlyitdoesn'tcomeforanyreasonanditdoesn'tgoforanyeither."Atbest,youtellyourselfthatyourthinkingisirrational,thatitissimplyamooddisorder,thatyoushouldgetonwithyourlife.Butsometimesthatisworse.Youfeelasifstreaksofpainarerunningthroughyourhead,youthrashyourbody,yousearchforsomeescapebutfindnone.Andthisisoneofthemoremoderateforms,"hewrote.
