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Free Expression

Aaron Swartz Honored With Proposed Reform To Controversial Anti-Hacking Law

Two members of Congress introduced new legislation Thursday in honor of Aaron Swartz, the 26-year-old Internet activist who faced charges for downloading millions of articles from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology computer archive before committing suicide in January.

“Aaron’s Law,” introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), would amend the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, a 1980s-era statute that makes it a federal crime to access a computer without authorization.

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