The Internet Society has revealed the 2013 inductees to the Internet Hall of Fame, with 32 new members added this year including the late Aaron Swartz and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
Having debuted only last year, the list of Hall of Fame inductees is still relatively short, but this year's additions nonetheless join an extremely prestigious group, with members like Vint Cerf, who is considered by many to be the "Father of the Internet."
The Internet Society states that in order to be considered for induction into the Hall of Fame, an individual must make an important contribution to the "development and advancement of the global open Internet."
Lynn St. Amour, the president and CEO of the Internet Society told Engadget that the purpose of the Hall of Fame is to celebrate new achievements and encourage everyone to "participate fully in making the Internet a platform that will continue to encourage innovation, communication, commerce, and social interaction for the benefit of people all around the world."
Other 2013 additions include Richard Stallman, credited with starting the Free Software Movement and Mark Andreessen, co-author of the Mosaic web browser. The full list of this year's inductees to the Internet Hall of Fame can be found here.
"This year's inductees represent a group of people as diverse and dynamic as the Internet itself," Amour said in a press statement. "As some of the world's leading thinkers, these individuals have pushed the boundaries of technological and social innovation to connect the world and make it a better place. Whether they were instrumental in the Internet's early design, expanding its global reach, or creating new innovations, we all benefit today from their dedication and foresight."
The Internet Hall of Fame induction ceremony was originally intended to take place in Istanbul, but due to the ongoing mass protests in Turkey, the event was moved to Berlin, Germany and rescheduled for August 3.
