The Internet's Own Boy: Aaron Swartz

Editor's Take

Charting the life of the programmer who helped build RSS and co-found Reddit before devoting himself to open access, this film follows Swartz's activism, the federal prosecution over downloaded academic papers, and his death at a young age. It draws on those who knew him to build an intimate and sympathetic portrait. The film clearly takes his side in the fight over free access to knowledge, presenting his case as an argument as much as a biography. It is a moving account that doubles as a debate about information and the law.

The Internet's Own Boy charts the life of Aaron Swartz, the coding prodigy who helped build RSS and co-found Reddit before turning to activism for open information. Through interviews with those who knew him, it follows his fight for free access to knowledge, the federal case brought against him over downloaded academic papers, and his death at twenty-six. The film is both a tribute to a remarkable mind and a sharp question about justice and the internet. It is a moving portrait of a life cut short. Free to watch in HD on Dr Documentary.

Courtesy of Participant Media on YouTube. Watch on YouTube ↗

Sponsored

More Technology Documentaries

Cicada 3301: An Internet Mystery2018•18m•HD•★8.9The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz2014•1h 45m•HD•★8.7How Big Oil Conquered the World2017•1h 11m•HD•★8.6Tesla: Master of Lightning2016•1h 26m•HD•★8.6Could Technology Help Us Read Minds in the Future?2023•52m•HD•★8.0The Atom and Us: Birth of the Nuclear World2022•56m•HD•★7.9Scandal and Betrayal: The Story of How Twitter Started2020•20m•HD•★7.8Empire State Building vs Burj Khalifa | Legends vs Modern Icons | FD Engineering2023•48m•HD•★7.8एआई की बादशाहत: चीन, अमेरिका और यूरोप में होड़ [The AI supremacy] | DW Documentary हिन्दी2024•1h 29m•HD•★7.7World's Biggest Containership | Mega Transports | Free Documentary2020•48m•HD•★7.7Meta Just Achieved Mind-Reading Using AI2023•18m•HD•★7.7Cryptocurrency: The Big Lie Trying To Steal Your Money?2026•50m•HD•★7.7