Apple removes Bitchat app from India App Store 'after government order'
In a significant move, Apple has removed the decentralised messaging app Bitchat from its India App Store. This action follows a directive issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, citing illegal content linked to the app. Bitchat, known for its Bluetooth-based mesh networking that allows offline communication, had previously been removed in July before returning to the…
Apple has removed the decentralized messaging app Bitchat from its India App Store following a government directive. The removal was communicated by Jack Dorsey, the app's founder, on X, stating that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had requested the app's removal under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
MeitY informed Apple that the app contained unlawful content and instructed the company to make it inaccessible to Indian users. Apple confirmed that Bitchat would remain available in other regions and stated that Bitchat's TestFlight version, intended for developers to distribute beta app versions for testing, would no longer be accessible in India.
Bitchat operates differently from typical messaging services as it utilizes Bluetooth-based mesh networking, enabling devices in close proximity to communicate directly with one another and disseminate messages across a network of interconnected devices. The app's decentralized nature and capacity to facilitate communication even without conventional internet access have drawn regulatory attention in India.
The latest removal means iPhone users in India can no longer download Bitchat via the official App Store. Apple has not provided any response regarding the government's directive or the reasons behind the removal of Bitchat from its India store. This development follows protests organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi and Mumbai the previous day. The app had previously faced a government takedown in July but was subsequently restored.
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