Lavabit.com Owner: 'I Could Be Arrested' For Resisting Surveillance Order 255
Zak3056 writes "NBC News is reporting that 'The owner of an encrypted email service used by ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden said he has been threatened with criminal charges for refusing to comply with a secret surveillance order to turn over information about his customers. "I could be arrested for this action," Ladar Levison told NBC News about his decision to shut down his company, Lavabit LLC, in protest over a secret court order he had received from a federal court that is overseeing the investigation into Snowden.''"
Inevitable consequence of unfettered capitalism. (Score:5, Interesting)
Capitalism promotes competitive, selfish activity.
Eventually, the winners realise that they can corrupt the system of government too. By hook or crook - psychology or guns.
The only effective society is one which overtly and deliberately puts a cap on power, both of the government and of private individuals, allowing enterprise to flourish while ensuring that the individuals who have benefitted contribute toward a strong infrastructure and humane society.
This is a social democracy.
The USSR sucked. The USA sucks. They were the same thing but with "apparatchik" instead of "management" to label the guys running the show. Life under either is glorious for those at the top, and a shitty struggle for the average person.
Re:They Thought They Were Free (Score:5, Interesting)
Anyone in security will go "duh" when you tell him of the mutual exclusivity of security and freedom. Oddly, people seem to want to have their cake and eat it too, and pretend that it is somehow possible.
Personally, I'd prefer freedom. That entails responsibility, and the chance to be harmed. By definition. When I am allowed to do what I want, there is a chance that I will do something that is harmful to me. People tend to do things that are against their best interest all the time, because it is convenient, because it is fun or because it gives them pleasure. From fatty food to cigarettes to alcohol to other drugs, from veggin' away on the couch in front of the idiot box to pushing themselves into a burnout syndrome. If allowed, people will make "wrong" decisions, all the time, every day, throughout their lives.
But that is their RIGHT. Of course, they waive the right to complain about it. So I really don't get the smokers that have the audacity to sue if they get sick from smoking. Hell, I was a heavy smoker, and I knew bloody well that it is unhealthy and likely deadly. I accepted that risk because I enjoyed it. Suck it up and deal with it, you bought the good, you got the bad for free on top of it. That's what freedom is about, you have to make a decision and you, and you alone, will bear the fallout if it is the wrong decision.
Isn't that what Americans want? The freedom to choose?
The freedom to choose whether they want health insurance and what kind thereof caused a big shitstorm, with the whole mess being labeled "Obamacare". No problem there. But if you decided against it and you're having cancer, shut up and die. Don't come and beg me to save you.
But that's the point I don't get. The very same people that demand that "the man" stays out of their "business" are calling the loudest to "do something" against those terrrrrists and applaud every kind of action the government takes to rob more of our liberties.
What the hell is wrong with American people?
Re:Inevitable consequence of unfettered capitalism (Score:4, Interesting)
The development of the USSR is an interesting one, and one that is a showcase of how good intentions are easily perverted into the most heinous reality, provided that power hungry megalomaniacs are allowed to rule. Sadly, it is the power hungry megalomaniac that WANTS to rule.
The USSR started as a hope for a "worker's paradise", and in Marx' theory, it sure is. People worked hard towards that goal because they were promised a glorious future, and they believed it. By and by, they noticed that nothing gets better, or that it does only for the few on top, and the rest was a tyranny that tried hard to keep up the status quo, i.e. the good life for the "party people" and the struggle for the rest, until it just couldn't be propped up anymore.
Now replace the promise of the glorious future for everyone with the promise that you, too, can be rich if you work hard, and by and by people noticing that working does not get you rich, and I wonder if I really imagine the parallels here.
American Justice (Score:5, Interesting)
America used to be, and I repeat, USED TO BE a country which everyone looked up to., yours truly included
I came from a communist country, and I was so impressed with the United States of America that I ended up becoming a naturalized American citizen.
The place I came from there was no democracy, no human rights, no freedom and no justice, America had everything that I ever hoped for.
However, my American Dream slowly transformed into American Dismay, and finally ended up as American Disgust
From a country which cherishes and champion Human Rights, the United States becomes a country where "Human Rights" is used as a tool to criticize others
Democracy ? It sure is a convenient device to hoodwink the American voters.
Freedom ? If there is any genuine freedom left in the United States of America Mr. Ladar Levison wouldn't have to shut down Lavabit
Justice ? Can whatever that has happened to Mr. Snowden be anything remotely related to "Justice" ?
Re:American Justice (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Just comply with the court order (Score:4, Interesting)
If it was for 10,000 for specific conversation between specific address at a specific date/time then It's reasonable to comply.
But bureaucracy is not as fluid as you might imagine! Their is a reason places like the NSA and CIA go for specific or blanket warrants / Court orders rather than mass individual ones.
Partly because they don't KNOW who to target apart from a few isolated people already on their radar, unless they go for John Doe #1 all the way to John Doe #10,000 which would cause another 10,000 or so new court orders required once they get the actual names, then you'd be correct in thinking that Civil Liberties groups / EFF and other like mined organisations would have a field day tying them up in red tape, challenging each and every individual order.
Oh and i think Judges are beginning to hate mass John Doe#1 to # Court Orders anyway because of their over use by Copyright Trolls to gather User information from IP addresses.
Re:American Justice (Score:5, Interesting)
I emigrated from the USA to Brazil and come from an opposite angle. The USA has the ACLU, EFF, and a few politicians on both sides of the isle who care about liberty and its growing. Political blogs are uncensored. Corrupt politicians often go to jail, like 4 of the last 6 governors of Illinois for example. State ballot initiatives in many cases side step politicians. Judges are often elected, and there is a mostly consistent due process.
Brazil and elsewhere, despite its greatness, not so much. Everyday on TV there are corrupt politicians but none ever go to jail. There are censorship boundaries and no liberty pressure groups or politicians really. IMHO it really is a case where every else is worse in terms of justice and liberty.