
MIT Aaron Swartz report to be released “in a few weeks” - theMITTech
http://tech.mit.edu/V132/N63/swartz.html
======
btilly
I am not a member of the MIT community. But I would like all communications
between MIT and the prosecutor to be included in the investigation. In
particular Aaron's lawyer claimed that a plea bargain with no jail time was
turned down due to MIT's objections. Who was objecting? What were they asking
for? Why were they objecting?

In short I want to understand MIT's role in pushing for punishments that were
out of line with community expectations.

~~~
betterunix
Moreover, I would like to see all correspondence relating to the prosecution
of this case, from MIT, JSTOR, and among the prosecutors themselves. The
public has a right to know why the government, which is supposed to be working
on our behalf, chose to prosecute Swartz in this manner (starting with 4
charges, then expanding to 13 -- yes, we can theorize, but how about letting
us see what the people responsible said to each other so that we can actually
_know_?). I would understand redacting any personal information relating to
Aaron in that correspondence, but otherwise there were no individuals involved
in this case and privacy should not be a major issue.

~~~
nullc
These are federal documents, they're not related to a living person, and there
is no more case/investigation. Presumably they should be available to a FOIA
request. Has anyone requested them?

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droithomme
<http://tech.mit.edu/V132/N63/abelson.html>

"We don’t know what we’ll find as the answers unfold, but I expect to find
that every person acted in accordance with MIT policy. More than that: they
acted in the belief that their actions were legally and ethically proper."

I'm a little concerned with Mr. Abelson's comment here. Given that he expects
to find everything was done correctly and states as near fact that they were
before starting, is he really impartial enough to be in charge of such an
internal investigation.

~~~
asolove
It's funny, when I first read that sentence, I heard a very different tone in
my head. I heard: "I _expect_ to find..." in the sense a parent might say "I
_expect_ to find that you cleaned your room." Of course they don't expect it,
but they do expect it.

Please remember that Prof. Abelson is one of the founders of Creative Commons
and the Free Software Foundation. He was undoubtedly chosen because of his
credentials in the area of free culture. It is fairly insulting to suggest he
will simply ignore the truth out of some unknown motive.

~~~
michael_nielsen
Just to add to your list (Creative Commons and the Free Software Foundation):
Abelson also cofounded MIT Open Courseware, Public Knowledge, and he is a
Director at the Center for Democracy and Technology. His contributions to free
culture and technology are amazing.

~~~
officemonkey
and an author of one of the more mind-expanding computer programming books
ever.

------
amirmc
_"Members of the MIT community can suggest questions for Abelson’s analysis
via<http://swartz-review.mit.edu> "_

~~~
jpdoctor
Apparently, alumni are not part of the community.

Any current MIT folks reading? Please submit: "Who _exactly_ rejected a plea
bargain with no jail time?"

I believe it would speak volumes, knowing many of the cast.

~~~
neltnerb
Definitely. I've been around MIT a long time, and have seen it go from a
hacker friendly place to one where charges are filed for undergrads acting
according to ethical hacking on campus.

It's a shame, and I know who _I_ blame, but I am 100% certain that my
assumptions about the inner workings of the MIT corporation are incomplete.

Besides, Hockfield is gone, and I largely blame her and Vest for the new
liability-sensitive administrative culture that's so antithetical to the MIT
tradition of supporting students, unconventional exploration, and if not being
helpful at least not being actively hurtful when things go wrong.

So if they're both long gone, what is going on? Leftover poor policy? Deans
who were hired under a bad paradigm of operating their department? Faculty
pressure (I sure hope not on that one)?

~~~
dthunt
years of toadyism?

~~~
neltnerb
It's so disappointing. I'm inspired by stories that end with "all tech men
carry batteries". But then I see their treatment of my friend when she had far
more benign intent.

Disappointment is almost too weak of a word when it comes to my opinion of
most of the administration. Hopefully Reif will stir things up, but I'm
doubtful.

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danso
It will be interesting to see what MIT's response to Aaron's allies
were...Edward Tufte said that he went to bat on behalf of Aaron with JSTOR
(who more or less dropped their case), others must have done so with MIT. Did
those petitions get to the right people? And if so, what justification did
those MIT officials use to carry on with the case?

Also, did MIT feel any pressure from the Justice Department to carry on with
the case? Perhaps MIT was reluctant to take action against Aaron but was
convinced by the DoJ that something had to be done?

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kimmel
I am ready for the white washed report saying MIT did everything right. Since
MIT is made up of humans and humans are perfect.

~~~
koenigdavidmj
Even the people the most angry with MIT right now have almost universally said
that they hold Dr Abelson in high regard.

