Ladar Levison was not yet 20 when Congress passed the Patriot Act after the terrorist attacks of September 11. It gave him an idea of commissioning: email service for what he considers "a multitude of technology experts" who are worried about privacy.
"I have always believed that species is important for Americans to have private conversations with other Americans," Levison said in a telephone interview on Monday, "do not fear that their conversations were being monitored by the government."
Its implementation thrived for almost 10 years until Thursday, when it suddenly closed, leaving little more than an ominous note on the site. He said he did not want to be "complicit in crimes against the American people" and suggested, indirectly, in the pursuit of government that he believes is unconstitutional and that was going to challenge in federal court of appeals.
He did not offer details of your notice of termination or interview Monday. He is under a gag order that led him to give full email.
"My main concern was to give people the ability to communicate in private," he said. "When I was no longer able to do that I felt I had an obligation to close the service."
Lavabit Mysterious legal drama began six weeks ago. One of its more than 400,000 users was Edward J. Snowden, the leaker who had worked as a contractor for the National Security Agency. Mr. Levison has not said if or what kind of government order was notified, or how it could have been notified.
His attorney, Jesse Binnall, made it clear that Lavabit had complied with the court orders "narrowly" tailored to the user information in at least two dozen times in the past.
Mr. Levison, now 32 and living in Dallas, added: "What I am against is blanket court orders granting the government access to everything."
Following the announcement last Thursday, a second company, Silent Circle, based in Maryland, said it would close its secure email service. That company said it had not been served with a governmental order of any kind. In a pre-emptive attempt to protect customer data, Silent Circle said it had destroyed everything in its server.
Lavabit, however, still maintains the data on your server, Levison said. He said it was forbidden to say why, or if a government order requires him to do so.
"I can not talk about that," said Levison. "It's frustrating. Still today do not know if I will be arrested."
His lawyer, Mr. Binnall, ie even if you have filed a lawsuit, however, only that "the intention of bringing legal challenge to the constitutionality of government surveillance in the email."
Mr. Levison had made a living out Lavabit, the site charges a monthly fee for subscribers who do not want to see ads. "I was not shopping for Italian sports cars, but I paid the rent and paid for the pizza," he said.
The service shutdown has forced him to turn to their parents once for the financial support. Lavabit has raised $ 90,000 so far for a legal defense fund, and says he fears that his legal problems could be "a long battle, endless."
He says he will find a job soon, and although it has also spent time with technology, it will not work in the technology sector. "I do not want to be put in this position again," he said.
Maybe it will start a restaurant or bar in or near Dallas, surmised, "where I will not have to deal with the FBI
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