Stories
Jack Dorsey's Bitchat App Removed from Apple App Store After MeitY Demand
- •Apple removed Bitchat, a decentralized messaging app backed by Jack Dorsey, from its India App Store following a takedown demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
- •Dorsey shared Apple's App Review notification on X, stating the Indian government officially removed the app from the platform.
- •Apple's notice indicated the application contained content considered illegal in India and did not comply with App Review Guidelines, citing Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
- •Bitchat is also unavailable on Google Play Store in India, and its website is inaccessible, though it's unconfirmed if these are due to the same government order.
- •This isn't the first action against Bitchat; Indian authorities previously directed GitHub to restrict access during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests, citing potential misuse by anti-national elements.
Key Questions Answered
Apple removed Bitchat from its India App Store following a formal takedown demand issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, citing illegal content and non-compliance with App Review Guidelines.
Bitchat is a peer-to-peer messaging app that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networking to connect nearby devices within 30 to 100 metres, relaying messages across multiple devices without needing cellular networks, Wi-Fi, phone numbers, or central servers.
During the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Union Home Ministry directed GitHub to disable access to Bitchat repositories, citing concerns that the app could be misused by anti-national elements, terrorist organisations, and criminal groups during public-order situations.
