My case proposal is for MIT vs. Aaron Swartz, and the moral issue of loyalty. Aaron Swartz was prosecuted for hacking to an MIT server and downloaded numerous online journals for his personal use. MIT did not drop the case and remained silent during prosecution, while the institution encourages students to push the boundaries and report their successful hacks.
- Why was Swartz prosecuted for something the institution encourages from others?
- Why didn't they stop the charges from piling up for a hack that was not harmful or malicious?
- Hackers on campus watches as a fellow hacker was torn apart by the judicial system and their school sat idly by and did not defend or drop the charges.
- MIT contradicting itself and its morals. Where do they go from here?
Fascinating! Like we discussed in class last week, Thistle, it's definitely a place to look for loyalty issues, and what an institution owes to its members in terms of protection. Room for lots of pondering here.
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