Friday, August 9, 2013

U.S. Tech Companies May Lose Billions Because Of The NSA Surveillance Program

via Lavabit

Snowden's Super Secret Email Service Closes, Summing Up Why Tech Is Losing Billions Overseas -- Business Insider

The super secret, encrypted email service that Edward Snowden used to communicate with Glenn Greenwald has officially closed down, writes Xeni Jardin for BoingBoing.

Lavabit not only offered encrypted email, but their operators don't collect your metadata and sell it to advertising companies — an obvious plus for anyone looking to be ultra private.

The implication is that they shut down because the U.S. government apparently served them with an order to either allow snooping, or shut down.

Obviously they decided to shut down.

Read more ....

My Comment: Did a small poll among some young people that I know .... I asked them if they would cease using U.S. internet companies if they could have an equivalent service that is independent of U.S. surveillance. Not surprising .... most said they would jump and use the other service. My prediction .... expect these services to pop-up in other countries .... and do expect a small migration of customers away from U.S. internet companies to these websites abroad.

Update: NSA Blowback: German Minister Floats US Company Ban -- Spiegel Online

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