Earlier this week, Xeni reported on the shutdown of Lavabit, the email provider used by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Ladar Levison, Lavabit's founder, has given an interview to Forbes about his reasoning for the shutdown, which comes — apparently — as a result of a secret NSA search-warrant complete with a gag order.

After discussing the general absurdity and creepiness of not being allowed to freely criticize the government for the order they brought to his company, he concludes by saying that he's stopped using email altogether, and "If you knew what I know about email, you might not use it either."

"This is about protecting all of our users, not just one in particular. It's not my place to decide whether an investigation is just, but the government has the legal authority to force you to do things you're uncomfortable with," said Levison in a phone call on Friday. "The fact that I can't talk about this is as big a problem as what they asked me to do." Levison's lawyer, Jesse Binnall, who is based in Northern Virginia — the court district where Levison needed representation — added that it's "ridiculous" that Levison has to so carefully parse what he says about the government inquiry. "In America, we're not supposed to have to worry about watching our words like this when we're talking to the press," Binnall said.

Lavabit's Ladar Levison: 'If You Knew What I Know About Email, You Might Not Use It' [Kashmir Hill/Forbes]