Aaron Swartz, internet hero, hounded to death by powers that be

Aaron Swartz was a young internet prodigy facing computer fraud charges when he took his own life. Source: ABC

TV editor Lyndall Crisp selects The Internet’s Own Boy as her pick of the week on free-to-air television.

The Internet’s Own Boy
Sunday, 8.30pm, ABC2
Aaron Swartz was a precocious child with extraordinary learning abilities. As a teenager he was a computer programming prodigy and as an adult he was a political activist hellbent on making the world a better place. Described as “the brightest light on the internet … an astonishing intellect”, he was — like his hero Tim Berners-Lee who invented the world wide web and gave it away for nothing — not interested in money. We’ll never know what he might have achieved because last year, aged 26, he committed suicide in his Brooklyn apartment. Using family home movies, clips from old interviews and conversations with the people closest to him, this fascinating documentary profiles the young genius. Swartz was facing 13 charges of wire fraud, computer fraud and unauthorised access to a computer according to antiquated legislation that carried a 35-year prison term. He devised a brilliant system that allowed him to access general information and make it commonly available. The company he targeted didn’t want to pursue the charges, but the US government insisted the case go on as a deterrent to others. There were also political reputations at stake. Swartz’s lawyer was sure he could win the case, but fear of what might lie ahead terrified Swartz. An outpouring of grief and anger flooded the internet following his death. A tragic story well told.
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Saturday, 6.30pm, ABC
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The Graham Norton Show
Sunday, 9.30pm, Ten
It’s fair to mention this show again because I haven’t for a while (at least two weeks). It’s so jolly good. A laugh a minute. In this episode Norton’s guests include Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Luke Evans and Lenny Kravitz. Grant tells the story of his first audition in Hollywood in front of a famous director who projectile-vomited halfway through the first page of the script. And Thompson tells how she made two co-stars in Mr Banks laugh by taking off her bra and putting two Mickey Mouse stickers on her nipples. Love her!
Gough Whitlam — In His Own Words
Sunday, 8.30pm, SBS One
Much has been written and said about this giant of Australian politics since he died, aged 98, in Sydney on October 21. Most of it was good, but many people still harbour doubts, even bitterness, about the former Labor prime minister’s legacy. No one, surely, can deny that in so many ways he was a shining light on a sea of mediocrity. This documentary, commissioned by SBS, was filmed 12 years ago. It was the last television interview Gough Whitlam did. In it, he talks about his remarkable 50 years in public life. It charts his earliest days in parliament, his rise as deputy leader, then leader, of the ALP and finally his success in ending 23 years of Liberal government. A chance to hear it from him.
Michael Mosley: Should I Eat Meat?
Monday, 7.30pm, SBS One
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Salamander
Monday, 11pm, SBS One
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The Melbourne Cup Carnival
Tuesday, 10am, Seven
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At the Movies
Tuesday, 9.30pm, ABC
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Madam Secretary
Thursday, 8.30pm, Ten
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Classical Destinations — Salzburg
Friday, 6pm, SBS One
Remember Aled Jones, the young Welsh boy with a voice like an angel until it broke? His rendition of Walking In the Air was goose-bump material. By the time he was 16 he’d sold six million albums and sung for pope John Paul II and the Queen (presumably not at the same time). He then took up acting, appearing in theatre and on radio and television. In this gorgeous series combining fabulous scenery and music, Jones, now 43, visits the cities that influenced the great composers, beginning with Salzburg, home of Mozart.
Better Homes and Gardens
Friday, 7pm, Seven
No matter how realistic your renovation budget it will always end up costing you more. In Small Budget, Big Makeover, Rob Palmer and the team show how to stretch the dollar. I love this show: it’s full of interesting stuff told in short, sharp takes. A fish recipe, Versailles’ gardens and a new hi-tech dog tag ... something for everyone.