Lavabit is the encrypted email service of choice for NSA leaker Edward Snowden. After 10 years in business and a growing customer base of over 400 thousand the owner and operator decided to close his company. There were no financial issues, no staffing problems, just honesty and transparency that brought on the downfall. A true belief and respect for customers privacy is all it took for owner Ladar Levison to close up shop when the government came knocking because of their frustrations after Snowden’s actions.
Most times the government makes requests companies comply immediately because, as we recently learned, most are already involved with the government in some way weather the made the decision to be or not. Lavabit held their ground and refused to offer anyway for the government to track an individual user in real time because they don’t even have the ability to do so. When the government found out about the SSL keys needed to break the encryption Lavabit answered their request with an illegible copy. When a judge threatened a substantial daily fine for withholding the keys Lavabit turned over exactly what they were forced to by court order and closed the doors for good. The government showed the obligation to hand over the requested documents by using a Grand Jury Subpoena, the Stored Communications Act, and the Penn Register Statute. Needless to say Lavabut is challenging all three in court. The company was based in St Lois Missouri but surely won't be on US soil when Ladar reopens. The government is effectively driving another industry overseas and we are all paying for it.
Lavabit is taking on the American Government for Online Rights
Most times the government makes requests companies comply immediately because, as we recently learned, most are already involved with the government in some way weather the made the decision to be or not. Lavabit held their ground and refused to offer anyway for the government to track an individual user in real time because they don’t even have the ability to do so. When the government found out about the SSL keys needed to break the encryption Lavabit answered their request with an illegible copy. When a judge threatened a substantial daily fine for withholding the keys Lavabit turned over exactly what they were forced to by court order and closed the doors for good. The government showed the obligation to hand over the requested documents by using a Grand Jury Subpoena, the Stored Communications Act, and the Penn Register Statute. Needless to say Lavabut is challenging all three in court. The company was based in St Lois Missouri but surely won't be on US soil when Ladar reopens. The government is effectively driving another industry overseas and we are all paying for it.
Lavabit is taking on the American Government for Online Rights
