Bill Introduced to Reform Federal Hacking Laws to Stop Prosecutorial Abuse

Named for Aaron Swartz

In January, Aaron Swartz, an Internet innovator and activist, decided to end his brief but brilliant life. At the time, Swartz faced the possibility of severe punishment under the CFAA — multiple felony charges and up to 35 years in prison by the government's own declaration – for what amounted to an act of civil disobedience. Aaron attempted to make documents, many created with public funding, freely available to the public.

But Aaron Swartz was not the first or the last victim of overzealous prosecution under the CFAA.

That's why we're authoring bipartisan legislation — which, with the permission of Aaron Swartz's family, we call "Aaron's Law" — in the House and Senate to begin the process of updating the CFAA.