Encrypted email Lavabit used by Snowden shuts to avoid 'complicity in crimes against Americans'

RT.com ^

[Red in Blue PA]

The highly encrypted email service reportedly used by NSA leaker Edward Snowden has gone offline - and its administrator claims the company is legally barred from explaining why.

On Thursday, the homepage of Lavabit.com was changed to a letter from the company’s owner announcing that the site’s operations have ceased following a six-week long ordeal that has prompted the company to take legal action in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Now in the midst of an escalating fight from the federal government aimed at cracking down on encrypted communications, one of the last free and secure services has thrown in the towel under mysterious circumstances.

“I have been forced to make a difficult decision: to become complicit in crimes against the American people or walk away from nearly ten years of hard work by shutting down Lavabit. After significant soul searching, I have decided to suspend operations,” owner and operator Ladar Levison of Dallas, Texas wrote in the statement. “I wish that I could legally share with you the events that led to my decision. I cannot.”

“I feel you deserve to know what’s going on--the First Amendment is supposed to guarantee me the freedom to speak out in situations like this. Unfortunately, Congress has passed laws that say otherwise,” wrote Levison. “As things currently stand, I cannot share my experiences over the last six weeks, even though I have twice made the appropriate requests.”

[Red in Blue PA]

THEY CANNOT EVEN EXPLAIN WHY THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN!

THIS IS TRULY ORWELLIAN!

[JohnBrowdie]

another plane ticket to russia . . .

[circlecity]

Police State

[Buckeye McFrog]

Guys like Rand Paul are gonna start doing SOOOOOOOO well at the ballot box thanks to this.

[GOP Poet]

“I feel you deserve to know what’s going on--the First Amendment is supposed to guarantee me the freedom to speak out in situations like this. Unfortunately, Congress has passed laws that say otherwise,” wrote Levison. “As things currently stand, I cannot share my experiences over the last six weeks, even though I have twice made the appropriate requests.”

I want to know what law this is.

[Red in Blue PA]

I could tell you what the law is but I would be arrested.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I still don't "get" how any law can trump the First Amendment.

[BitWielder1]

I want to know what law this is.

Secret laws? All Orwellian states have them.
The feds are good at making threats and they have plenty of laws with draconian sentences to threaten with.
I would guess that they're harassing the guy to give them ALL the stored mail data, for all his subscribers, not just Snowden.
And he is refusing to do so. That is very brave.

[Kozak]

Remember Comrade ignorance of the law is no defense...

[Carthego delenda est]

Friggin Marxist bastards claim “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

How about “When the government fears the people, there is liberty; When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”

“The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”

[E. Pluribus Unum]

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[who_would_fardels_bear]

My guess is that all ISP's have been required by some secret provisions (or secret interpretations of open provisions) in the Patriot Act to provide back doors so the NSA can listen to all traffic going through ISPs.

This guy didn't want to do that, and so he had to either violate the law or stop doing business.

It seems to me he has decided on the most difficult and commendable path: shutdown his business and fight the law through the courts.

My best hopes and wishes go out to him.

[no-s]

I want to know what law this is.

He's not allowed to tell you precisely what law.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Wonder what this means for Reagan.com? Their advertising seems to indicate that they don’t cooperate.

[GraceG]

I still don’t “get” how any law can trump the First Amendment.

Must be nice living in the la la land of actually beleiving the potiticians actually belive in following the constitution......

The constitution is only a problem for lawmakers when smeone brings a case to the supremers and only then it is a 50/50 crapshoot it would be turned over due to being unconstitutional...

[TADSLOS]

Guys like Rand Paul are gonna start doing SOOOOOOOO well at the ballot box thanks to this.

Assuming guys like Rand Paul aren't arrested beforehand as enemies of the state.

*****Chris Christie approves this message*****

[Monty22002]

You better generate a new private key. That’s not the part you’re supposed to send out.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It was for illustrative purposes only.

https://www.igolder.com/pgp/generate-key/

[USS Johnston]

THEY CANNOT EVEN EXPLAIN WHY THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN!

Hint: They are deemed a "security risk," and thus all personnel will find themselves in Gulags.