Aaron Swartz, 1986
Writers · November 8, 1986
Aaron Swartz
★ HOW OLD IS AARON SWARTZ?
Aaron Swartz is 39 years old, born November 8, 1986 in United States · Scorpio.
#3606of 4,831 Writers on HotBirthdays
★ LEDE
About
Aaron Swartz was a computer programmer and activist whose work shaped the early internet before his death in 2013. Born in the US in 1986, he helped develop RSS, contributed to Creative Commons' technical architecture, and co-owned Reddit until 2007. After Reddit's sale to Condé Nast, Swartz shifted toward civic activism, founding Demand Progress and campaigning against the Stop Online Piracy Act. A Scorpio, he remains celebrated as both a technical innovator and internet martyr [F6, birth fact].
★ FEATURE
Biography
Aaron Swartz was a computer programmer, entrepreneur, and internet activist whose early technical contributions shaped web infrastructure before he became known for aggressive civic activism. Born November 8, 1986, in the US, Swartz helped design RSS (the web feed format), contributed to Creative Commons' technical framework, and co-developed web.py, a Python web framework. He also shaped the syntax of Markdown and co-owned the social news site Reddit, remaining involved in its development until departing in 2007. After Reddit sold to Condé Nast Publications in 2006, Swartz pivoted toward progressive activism, co-founding the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in 2009 and becoming a research fellow at Harvard's Safra Lab on Institutional Corruption under Lawrence Lessig. His organization Demand Progress gained prominence for its mobilization against the Stop Online Piracy Act. On January 6, 2011, Swartz was arrested by MIT police after downloading academic articles from JSTOR; federal prosecutors led by Carmen Ortiz charged him with wire fraud and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act violations carrying potential penalties of $1 million in fines and 35 years in prison. He rejected a plea bargain offering six months in prison, and died in his Brooklyn apartment two days after prosecutors rejected his counter-offer. Posthumously inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013, Swartz is remembered as a martyr for open information access. As a writer and programmer, Swartz exemplified the Scorpio archetype—intense, investigative, and driven by principle [birth fact]—with a life-path number 7 that reflects deep introspection and search for truth [birth fact].
★ ORIGIN
Before Fame
Swartz began his technical career early as a programmer, helping develop RSS and contributing to foundational web technologies before his mid-twenties. He co-owned Reddit and worked on its platform until 2007. His early work focused on technical standards and open-access infrastructure rather than activism, positioning him as a prodigy in web development.
★ SIDEBAR
Trivia
- Swartz helped define the syntax of Markdown, the lightweight markup language now used across platforms from GitHub to Discord.
- He was a research fellow at Harvard's Safra Lab on Institutional Corruption, directed by Lawrence Lessig, before his 2011 arrest.
- Swartz was posthumously inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013, cementing his legacy as both a technical innovator and internet martyr.
- He rejected a plea bargain that would have resulted in only six months in federal prison, declining to accept lesser charges.
★ SIDEBAR
Numerology
LIFE-PATH NUMBER
The Seeker
Analytical and private. Aaron Swartz release rarely but deeply, and tend to reward fans with unusual artistic depth rather than constant output.
★ ALL LIFE-PATH 7 CELEBS →★ ASTROLOGY
Birthday compatibility
By Chinese zodiac — san-he trine for best matches, opposing pair for the most friction-prone.
HIGHLY COMPATIBLE
- Alexander GouldDog · 1994
- Jean-Carl BoucherDog · 1994
- Connor JessupDog · 1994
- Mayuko FukudaDog · 1994
- Abbey HoesDog · 1994
CHALLENGING
- IsaacMonkey · 2004
- Robbie Ure
★ FAQ
Frequently asked
- How old is Aaron Swartz?
- Aaron Swartz is 39 years old (born November 8, 1986).
- When is Aaron Swartz's birthday?
- Aaron Swartz was born on November 8, 1986.
- What is Aaron Swartz's zodiac sign?
- Aaron Swartz is a Scorpio, born November 8, 1986.
- What is Aaron Swartz's Chinese zodiac sign?
- Aaron Swartz was born in 1986, the year of the Fire Tiger.
- Where is Aaron Swartz from?
- Aaron Swartz is from United States.
- What does Aaron Swartz do?
- Aaron Swartz is a writer.
- Is Aaron Swartz still alive?
#23,172
