Dorsey's app Bitchat removed by Apple in India

Apple has removed Bitchat, an offline messaging app founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, from its India App Store following a mandate from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). In a notice posted on X, Dorsey shared a screenshot of Apple's App Review notice, stating that the Indian government had "officially" removed Bitchat from the App Store.

Apple cited the app's content as being "illegal in India," which violated its App Review Guidelines, leading to its removal. However, Apple did not specify the exact content deemed illegal or the specific Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 under which the takedown was demanded.

The app would remain available in other countries where it was previously offered. Bitchat, which is not currently available on Apple's India App Store, would also cease to be available in India for internal and external testing via TestFlight. Public TestFlight links for the app would no longer function within the country. This is not the first instance of Bitchat facing regulatory action in India; in July, the government had directed GitHub to remove access to the app, alleging potential misuse by anti-national elements, terrorist organizations, organized criminal groups, and cybercriminals.

Bitchat is a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app that operates on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks without requiring internet, phone numbers, or central servers. It enables devices within 30-100 meters to relay messages across multiple hops, extending network reach without cellular service or Wi-Fi.