Lavabit is an open-source encrypted webmail service, founded in 2004. The service suspended its operations on August 8, 2013, after the U.S. Federal Government ordered it to turn over its Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) private keys, in order to allow the government to spy on Edward Snowden 's email. [1][2][3][4]

Oct 7, 2013 · Lavabit was used by NSA leaker Edward Snowden. And in August, as the FBI pursued those leaks, Lavabit founder Ladar Levison shut down his company.

Aug 13, 2013 · Lavabit, an encrypted email service believed to have been used by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, has abruptly shut down.

Oct 3, 2013 · The documents show that the US government sought to force Lavabit to install a "pen register and the use of a trap and trace device" on a particular email account.

Aug 9, 2013 · Lavabit users reacted with consumer vitriol on the company’s Facebook page (“What about our emails?”), but the tide quickly turned toward government critique.

Oct 7, 2013 · Judge Hilton ordered that Levison and Lavabit be fined five thousand dollars for each day that they did not turn over the electronic-encryption keys.

Aug 9, 2013 · Ladar Levison, 32, has spent ten years building encrypted email service Lavabit, attracting over 410,000 users.

Aug 9, 2013 · Based in Texas, Lavabit attracted attention last month when NSA leaker Edward Snowden used an e-mail account with the service to invite human rights workers and lawyers …

Aug 10, 2013 · It’s been a few days since Lavabit, the secure email service used by whistleblower Edward Snowden, shut down to avoid “crimes against the American people.”

Aug 9, 2013 · Lavabit, which has been linked to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, took the first bullet on Thursday, thus inspiring software company Silent Circle to also shut down its mail feature.