You’ve probably seen the terrible news about the death of Aaron Swartz. It’s always horrifying when someone so young and so clearly talented feels they have no option but to take their own life. I know that this is something that shook the internet community deeply. And my thoughts are with his family, and what they must be going through right now.
This was a man who saw that greater openness can be good for citizens, and good for society. Hugely disruptive – but hugely beneficial.
For me, the case is particularly clear when there aren’t copyright issues, when information was already paid for by taxpayers, and when more openness can help new innovations and scientific discoveries.
I would never condone unlawful activity. But in my view, if our laws, frameworks and practices stand in the way of us getting all those benefits, then maybe they need to be changed.
Agree or disagree with his methods, Aaron could see the open direction we’re heading in, and its benefits. In the meantime, those scientists who are paying tribute by making their own work legally, openly available aren’t just showing their respects – they are also benefiting scientific progress.
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“if our laws, frameworks and practices stand in the way of us getting all those benefits, then maybe they need to be changed”
This is an excellent realization (it’s also the basis for civil disobedience). Unfortunately, we see the opposite via the backdoor: they are actually being strengthened via “trade agreements”, #CETA just being one of them, also being linked to the US-EU trade agreement.
The European Parliament and hopefully the European Commission need to stand up against this trend by setting new International standards instead of having vested commercial interests dictate what to do.
Well said Neelie.
Does mrs. Kroes stand behind what’s she’s saying? She’s e.g. against network neutrality. I’m against the eu she wants! And i don’t believe one word of what’s written in this letter. Sorry to say so – but i’ve had enough of this kind of EU. They forget that they’re not elected by the people.
Let me vote and i’ll vote against this form of EU – i want the power to the parliament. If the eu-parliament says networkneutrality has to be – it has to be. No comments from mrs. Kroes are wanted – she needs to stay humble, shut up and do what the parliament orders!
Mrs. Kroes often may believe she’s doing the right thing – but she’s been too long in power to see the enormous damage of her decisions.
great statement, thank you!
way to go & please schlepp your EU colleagues along!
i’ve assembled an Aaron Swartz reader (by and about) — Speaking Truth to Power. (available in pdF and epub at:
http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/archives/2013/01/speaking_truth_to_power.html
We’ve lost an important voice. Not only was he uniquely able to wrap his head around the vast complexity of the emerging digital landscape, Aaron Swartz was generous and brave. He threatened the keepers of the status quo and paid the ultimate price.
Depending on how history turns out, Aaron Swartz may be the first hero of our future age.
We the people need to work together to change the law. We must work to change the legal system. http://blog.ilsccp.org/2013/01/we-the-people/
Ms Kroes, Aaron fought for equal access to information and you say that we should change our laws to guarantee the necessary openness. Yet just a couple of days ago you yielded to operator pressure on the net neutrality issue, where your position would fragment the Internet and guarantee unequal access to freely published information. The underlying issue is exactly the same: equal access to information. I do not understand how you can have two opposing views on it.
I do not believe a single thing that is written above.
“I would never condone unlawful activity.”
Show your ‘respect’ ma’am — and start changing the law. And please lay off Mr. Guttenberg if you want people to trust your words.
Maybe this will help you on your way — try to be a bit different.
http://vimeo.com/57811893
Couldn’t agree more, Neelie. I hope we can all work together and improve the legal system.
Goed gezegd, mevrouw Kroes. Nu alstublieft de daad bij het woord voegen.
Well said, Ms. Kroes. Now please act accordingly.
Spot on as usual, Neelie. I hope this leads to genuine reform of copyright laws that sees creators rewarded, while extended fair use exceptions for research and private use. It’s can’t be a sustainable position where most EU citizens are in breach of copyright laws every day. The defeat of ACTA and the ECJ SABAM decisions suggest that the tide of unthinking extension of the rights of copyright holders may have been stemmed for now, but action is needed to avoid inhibiting innovation.