MIT, which once pledged “a spirit of openness” when it came to an investigation of the charges against and suicide of Internet activist Aaron Swartz has now reportedly moved to block the release of his Secret Service files.
Kevin Poulsen, WIRED’s investigations editor, had previously won a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit ordering the release of Swartz’ Secret Service files, but a last-minute motion from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has, at least temporarily, blocked their release.
MIT claims it’s afraid the release of Swartz’s file will identify the names of MIT people who helped the Secret Service and federal prosecutors pursue felony charges against Swartz for his bulk downloading of academic articles from MIT’s network in 2011.
Aaron Swartz was a member of Freedom of Information Act website I run, and that same website has had users file multiple FOIA requests for his Secret Service files, none of which have been answered.
