The Man Who Stood Up To Facebook

  • NPR
  • 10/13/2016 12:00 AM
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There is a man who is a thorn in the side of Facebook — a problem that just won't go away. In 2008, Facebook sued him, saying he was a hacker and a spammer who was putting users at risk. But in a truly bizarre plot twist, he stood up to the Internet giant — and he has become the unlikely protagonist in a battle for your rights online.

Our protagonist

Steven Vachani and I are sitting at a Starbucks because, he doesn't want to say it, but: He doesn't have an office or a home in Silicon Valley anymore.

"I'm passionate about what I believe in and I'm also confident that even when the path is not clear, you know, you'll find a path," he says. "I'm also willing [to] suffer. I think a lot of people have a — they're not adaptable."

Vachani is based in Brazil, where life is more affordable. He flies into San Francisco a lot, though, in an ongoing effort to stay in the tech biz.

He's got a daily routine here: Go on Priceline and look for the cheapest room in town. And when that's too expensive, the 41-year-old with graying hair checks into a youth hostel. "I spent years of my life living in a youth hostel, so it's a place where I feel very comfortable," he says.
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