Aaron Swartz

American computer programmer and internet-political activist (1986–2013)
Person human Q302817
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Aaron Swartz was born on November 8, 1986, in Highland Park[1][2][3][4] and died on January 11, 2013, in Brooklyn[1][5]. He was a citizen of the United States and practiced atheism. His father was Robert Swartz[6], and he was educated at North Shore Country Day School and Stanford University.

Working in the field of information technology[7], he was a programmer, writer, Wikimedian, political activist, businessperson, and hacktivist[8]. Throughout his career, he received the EFF Award, the James Madison Award, and induction into the Internet Hall of Fame[9][10][11]. He was buried at Shalom Memorial Park[12].

Aaron Swartz

Summary

Aaron Swartz is a human[1]. He was born in Highland Park[2]. He was born on November 8, 1986[3]. He passed away in Brooklyn[4]. He died on January 11, 2013[5]. He worked as a programmer[6], writer[7], Wikimedian[8], political activist[9], and businessperson[10]. He ranks in the top 0.48% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (6,181 views/month, #4,819 of 1,000,298).[11]

Key Facts

  • Aaron Swartz's place of birth was Highland Park[2].
  • Aaron Swartz passed away in Brooklyn[4].
  • Aaron Swartz was born on November 8, 1986[3].
  • Aaron Swartz died on January 11, 2013[5].
  • Aaron Swartz is buried at Shalom Memorial Park[12].
  • Aaron Swartz's father was Robert Swartz[13].
  • Aaron Swartz's mother was Susan Swartz[14].
  • Aaron Swartz held citizenship in United States[15].
  • English was Aaron Swartz's native language[16].
  • Aaron Swartz worked as a programmer[6].
  • Aaron Swartz worked as a writer[7].
  • Aaron Swartz worked as a Wikimedian[8].
  • Aaron Swartz worked as a political activist[9].
  • Aaron Swartz's professions included businessperson[10].
  • Aaron Swartz worked as a hacktivist[17].
  • Aaron Swartz's field of work was information technology[18].
  • Aaron Swartz's education included a stint at Stanford University[19].
  • Aaron Swartz's education included a stint at North Shore Country Day School[20].
  • A notable work attributed to Aaron Swartz is Reddit[21].
  • A notable work attributed to Aaron Swartz is Open Library[22].
  • A notable work attributed to Aaron Swartz is RSS[23].
  • Aaron Swartz received the EFF Award[24].
  • Aaron Swartz received the James Madison Award[25].
  • Aaron Swartz received the Internet Hall of Fame[26].
  • Aaron Swartz's religion is recorded as atheism[27].

Product Details

The following facts are restated verbatim from public-domain and CC0 open-data sources — every line is independently verifiable against the named source's catalog.

MusicBrainz — CC0 open music encyclopedia

  • Type: Person[28]

  • Country: US[29]

  • Began / founded: 1986-11-08[30]

  • Ended / dissolved: 2013-01-11[31]

  • MusicBrainz ID: 26467fed-1c0b-4039-926a-b5879da6ea90[32]

Body

Origins and Family

Born in Highland Park[2], Aaron Swartz… he was born on November 8, 1986[3]. His father was Robert Swartz[13]. His mother was Susan Swartz[14]. English was his native language[16].

Education

Educated at Stanford University[19], a private university[33], in United States[34], founded in 1885[35], headquartered in Stanford[36] and North Shore Country Day School[20], a school[37], in United States[38], founded in 1880[39].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include programmer[6], writer[7], Wikimedian[8], political activist[9], businessperson[10], and hacktivist[17]. Aaron Swartz's field of work was information technology[18].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Reddit[21], a social networking service[40], in United States[41], founded in 2005[42], headquartered in San Francisco[43], written by Steve Huffman[44]; Open Library[22], an online database[45], in United States[46], founded in 2007[47]; and RSS[23], a markup language[48], founded in 1999[49].

Recognition

Awards received include EFF Award[24], a science award[50], founded in 1992[51]; James Madison Award[25], an award[52], in United States[53], founded in 1986[54]; and Internet Hall of Fame[26], a hall of fame[55], in United States[56], founded in 2012[57].

Personal Life

Aaron Swartz's religion is recorded as atheism[27].

Death and Burial

Aaron Swartz died on January 11, 2013[5]. He died in Brooklyn[4]. The cause of death was hanging to death[58]. He is buried at Shalom Memorial Park[12].

Why It Matters

Aaron Swartz ranks in the top 0.48% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (6,181 views/month, #4,819 of 1,000,298).[11] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[59] He is known by 28 alternative names across languages and contexts.[60]

Works attributed to him include Reddit[61], a social networking service[62], in United States[63], founded in 2005[64], headquartered in San Francisco[65], written by Steve Huffman[66]; Open Library[67], an online database[68], in United States[69], founded in 2007[70]; and Guerilla Open Access Manifesto[71], a manifesto[72], founded in 2008[73].

FAQs

Where was Aaron Swartz born?

Aaron Swartz was born in Highland Park[2].

Where did Aaron Swartz die?

Aaron Swartz passed away in Brooklyn[4].

Who were Aaron Swartz's parents?

Aaron Swartz's father was Robert Swartz[13]. Aaron Swartz's mother was Susan Swartz[14].

What did Aaron Swartz do for work?

Aaron Swartz worked as programmer[6], writer[7], Wikimedian[8], political activist[9], and businessperson[10].

Where did Aaron Swartz go to school?

Aaron Swartz was educated at Stanford University[19] and North Shore Country Day School[20].

What awards did Aaron Swartz receive?

Honors received include EFF Award[24], James Madison Award[25], and Internet Hall of Fame[26].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . patch.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . theguardian.com. theguardian.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  3. [13] . money.cnn.com. Retrieved . money.cnn.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  4. [14] . wikidata.org.
  5. [15] . wikidata.org.
  6. [19] . wikidata.org.
  7. [20] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  8. [18] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  9. [16] . wikidata.org.
  10. [6] . BnF authorities. wikidata.org.
  11. [7] . wikidata.org.
  12. [8] . wikidata.org.
  13. [9] . wikidata.org.
  14. [10] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  15. [17] . BnF authorities. wikidata.org.
  16. [12] . Find a Grave. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  17. [27] . wikidata.org.
  18. [24] . eff.org. Retrieved . eff.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  19. [25] . ala.org. ala.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  20. [26] . internethalloffame.org. internethalloffame.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  21. [58] . wikidata.org.
  22. [3] . IMDb. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  23. [5] . IMDb. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  24. [21] . wikidata.org.
  25. [22] . wikidata.org.
  26. [23] . wikidata.org.

Product details (FDA / USDA / NHTSA public-domain catalog data)

  1. [28] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  2. [29] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  3. [30] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  4. [31] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  5. [32] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [61] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [67] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [71] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [66] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [70] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [72] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [73] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [11] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [59] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [60] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Aaron Swartz. Retrieved March 11, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/aaron-swartz
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Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 13d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-20 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Educated at Stanford University, North Shore Country Day School
    Allmusic artist id mn0003659711
    Image
    Wikitree person id
    + 179 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/32083|batch #32083]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (25)"
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