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Jack Dorsey's Bitchat Removed From Indian App Stores
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In Short: TechCrunch reported that Jack Dorsey announced on Saturday that the Indian government had ordered Apple to remove Bitchat from its App Store in India.
TechCrunch reported that Jack Dorsey announced on Saturday that the Indian government had ordered Apple to remove Bitchat from its App Store in India.
According to Apple's notice, which Dorsey shared on X, the Indian government issued the demand under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, a legal provision allowing government-ordered online blocking.
Apple's notice stated that Bitchat would remain available on its App Store outside of India.
Bitchat, launched in July 2023, uses Bluetooth mesh networking to allow nearby devices to exchange encrypted messages without relying on cellular networks, internet access, or centralized servers.
In July 2023, Dorsey revealed that Indian authorities had ordered GitHub to take down repositories associated with Bitchat, raising concerns among digital rights advocates and legal experts about the legal basis for restricting software based on its functionality.
The Indian government's order to GitHub at the time cited Bitchat's architecture, which makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to intercept communications or trace users, and its ability to continue operating during internet shutdowns.
The latest restrictions on Bitchat come amid fresh youth-led protests in India over changes to the country’s voter rolls.
Bitchat was also no longer available for download through Google Play in India when TechCrunch checked on Saturday.
Additionally, Bitchat’s website was inaccessible across various internet service providers in the country.
Apple, Google, and India’s IT ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
What this adds
The Indian government's actions against Bitchat highlight ongoing concerns about digital rights and internet freedom in the country.
What's still developing
- Bitchat, Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app designed to work without an internet connection, has disappeared from Apple and Google’s app stores in India, months after New Delhi first sought to restrict access to the open-source software.
Sources
- TechCrunchlink