The Daily PulseTechnology
Apple Removes Jack Dorsey's Offline Messaging App Bitchat in India
Reported by Neha Sharma (Staff Writer) · Livemint - Technology ·
Confirmed by a second source: TechCrunch
Representative image · Wikimedia CommonsApple has removed the decentralized offline messaging app Bitchat from its Indian App Store following orders from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. According to TechCrunch, the app has also disappeared from Google Play in India, and the app's website has become inaccessible across various internet service providers in the country. Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and creator of the app, shared a screenshot of the official notice on X on Saturday. The notice from Apple stated that the application was being removed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, because the content was considered illegal in India and failed to comply with App Review Guidelines. The notice did not point to any specific unlawful content or provide further details, leaving the developer to contact the ministry directly.
App Functionality
Bitchat allows users to communicate without cellular networks, Wi-Fi, phone numbers, or central messaging servers. The application operates on a Bluetooth Low Energy mesh network, enabling nearby devices to exchange encrypted private messages and relay them through a chain of phones to extend the communication range. The TestFlight beta version of the app has also been blocked from functioning in India.
Regulatory Actions
This follows prior scrutiny from Indian authorities regarding the software. In July, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre issued a notice targeting Bitchat's GitHub repositories, and Dorsey revealed that authorities had ordered GitHub to take down associated open-source repositories. The government argued at the time that the app's architecture made lawful interception and user attribution difficult and allowed communication to continue during internet shutdowns. The Internet Freedom Foundation criticized the latest order as unconstitutional, noting that neither the blocking order nor the specific illegal content had been made public.
Context
Section 69A of the Information Technology Act is the primary legal provision used by the Indian government to order online blocking of digital content. The law gives authorities powers to restrict public access to online information through intermediaries under specific legal grounds.
ExplainerWhy this matters
What Happened
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ordered tech companies to remove Jack Dorsey's offline messaging app Bitchat from app stores and block its website, citing Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
Why It Matters
This case highlights the growing regulatory tension between governments and developers of decentralized, end-to-end encrypted tools. Authorities are concerned about tools that operate independently of traditional telecom networks and resist lawful interception during internet shutdowns, while digital rights groups argue that blocking entire software architectures sets a concerning precedent for free expression and open-source development.
What Happens Next
Legal experts and digital rights organizations are expected to challenge the government's broad use of blocking powers against communication tools, while developers will likely continue to navigate restrictions on beta-testing services and repository hosting platforms in the region.
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