Unbelievable!

[cigfran_cg]

However you feel about copyright law, this is preposterous:  Aaron Swartz, a programmer and  political activist, has been indicted on charges that he "stole" more than four million documents from JSTOR, an archive of scientific journals and academic papers.   The charges could result in up to 35 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

bits.blogs.

Comments

[unique_name_123]

Because I have found that it is no longer safe to assume, can you tell me what you think is preposterous?

[cigfran_cg]

What I find preposterous is the magnitude of the US Attorney's response to Swartz's crimes. No, I don't think he's completely innocent. The allegation that he broke into a data closet would in itself warrant some sort of breaking and entering mischief charge. But the feds' response strikes me as akin to swatting a fly with a sledgehammer.

[sue_n_julia]

There's a lot more to the story than has been released so far. Unfortunately, the government is going to hide most of it behind state secrets so it will never be seen in public.

I suspect some of it is retaliation for the other breakin that he orchestrated as part of Demand Progress.

S