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Aaron Swartz Indicted in Attempted Piracy of Four Million Documents

Posted by Unknown on from the but-information-wants-to-be-free dept.

An anonymous reader writes "New York Times has reported that Internet activist Aaron Swartz has been indicted for stealing more than 4 million documents from JSTOR." The indictment contains an exciting tale featuring trespassing, MAC address forgery, a Python script or two, and even computers hidden under a cardboard box. El Reg has a decent summary. Demand Progress has released an official response claiming the charges are trumped up nonsense.

7 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. It sounds like he was being an asshole by Scareduck · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The "too many library books" thing is a little disingenuous; I wonder whether JSTOR's servers were capable of keeping up with this kind of assault (assuming the factual description of this event is correct). On the other hand, this looks like government deciding to throw the books at this guy because they don't like his organization, and are using this as a pretext.

    --

    Dog is my co-pilot.

    1. Re:It sounds like he was being an asshole by garcia · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I read an article about this earlier which said it crashed JSTOR's servers on at least three occasions.

      However, JSTOR didn't wan to press charges yet the feds continued to push it. Academic interests (hilarious considering the reason for JSTOR) be dammed.

  2. Oh, really? by Pope · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Aaron Swartz, a 24-year-old researcher in Harvard University's Center for Ethics, broke into a locked computer-wiring closet in an MIT basement and used a switch there to gain unauthorized access the college's network,"

    How ethical.

    "Members of Demand Progress, a nonprofit political action group Swartz founded, criticized the indictment."

    Oh, really? No conflict of interest there.

    --
    It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
  3. steve jobs got started by selling blueboxes by decora · · Score: 2, Interesting

    JSTOR doesn't want it prosecuted

    and neither does anyone with a shred of common sense.

    1. Re:steve jobs got started by selling blueboxes by Hutz · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Perhaps the SysAdmins at MIT want it prosecuted. Since he kept invading their network.

  4. more evidence the CFAA is unconstitutional by decora · · Score: 2, Interesting

    the computer fraud and abuse act is one of the worst laws ever passed in the history of the country.

    it is also being used against Bradley Manning and the Wikileaks cambridge people

    it was also used against Thomas Drake

    they also tried to use it against the Myspace suicide-woman

  5. Re:I don't get this at all by ZombieBraintrust · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Who cares what MIT or JSTOR thinks. This is criminal matter not a civil one. If they don't want to sue then that is their deal. The govement has a responcibility to its citizens to enforce the laws equally. If I broke into a closet at MIT I would get jail time even if I was just stealing soap.