5 Things You Should Know About Lawrence Lessig
You may already know him as the Harvard Law professor behind the Super PAC to end all Super PACs. But Lawrence Lessig is also a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). That means he’s one of several luminaries judging The Webby Awards. Here are 5 things you should know about him.
In 2001, Lawrence Lessig was part of a dedicated group of lawyers, creators, and activists that got Creative Commons off the ground. In 2007, he gave the above TED Talk entitled “Laws that Choke Creativity,” discussing how antiquated copyright laws are stifling the incredible creative opportunities of the digital age.
Lessig got the full Sorkin treatment when he was played by Christopher Lloyd in “The Wake-Up Call,” a 2005 episode of The West Wing.
In 2014, Lawrence Lessig marched across New Hampshire as part of the New Hampshire Rebellion, a movement to end political corruption and reform campaign financing. His march was inspired by his good friend, the late activist Aaron Swartz, who challenged him to go beyond academia and fight for change. Lessig then discussed his journey to action in his TED Talk, “The Unstoppable Walk to Political Reform.”
Lessig has a real penchant for using the Internet to connect people and effect change. In May 2014, he led a crowdfunding campaign to reform political financing in the US. The campaign was a huge success, raising almost $8 million. This year he turned his attention to electoral college reform, and raised over $250,000 in his Equal Votes campaign—we got the scoop on that and more when we talked with him on the Webby Podcast.
When Lawrence Lessig accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from Alexis Ohanian at The 18th Annual Webby Awards, his wonderfully wry 5-Word Speech reminded the world that he still has a lot left to accomplish.
