YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Early internet rights advocate John Perry Barlow died on Wednesday at the age of 70, according to colleagues, CNN reports.

Barlow was cofounder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for civil liberties in the digital age. Barlow started the organization with Mitch Kapor and John Gilmore in 1990.

"It is no exaggeration to say that major parts of the Internet we all know and love today exist and thrive because of Barlow's vision and leadership," reads an obituary by EFF's executive director Cindy Cohn.

Barlow was also a lyricist for the Grateful Dead, helping write such songs as "Mexicali Blues."