Redaction error reveals FBI did target Lavabit to spy on Edward Snowden

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http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/18/redaction-fbi-target-ladar-lavabit-spy-edward-snowden

Edward Snowden confirmed as the target of action against private and secure email service Lavabit after his email address was mistakenly left unredacted from re-released court documents.

Redaction error reveals FBI did target Lavabit to spy on Edward Snowden
Samuel Gibbs
Friday 18 March 2016 06.46 EDT

A redaction oversight by the US government has finally confirmed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s targeting of secure email service Lavabit was used specifically to spy on Edward Snowden.

Ladar Levison creator of the email service, which was founded on a basis of private communications secured by encryption and had 410,000 users, was served a sealed order in 2013 forcing him to aid the FBI in its surveillance of Snowden.

Levison was ordered to install a surveillance package on his company’s servers and later to turn over Lavabit’s encryption keys so that it would give the FBI the ability to read the most secure messages that the company offered. He was also ordered not to disclose the fact to third-parties.

After 38 days of legal fighting, a court appearance, subpoena, appeals and being found in contempt of court, Levison abruptly shuttered Lavabit citing government interference and stating that he would not become “complicit in crimes against the American people”.

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1. Was there suspicion of Snowden's activities before he fled?