India Removes Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat From App Store
Bitchat has been removed from India’s Apple App Store after the government requested the takedown under Section 69A of the IT Act, according to a notice shared by Jack Dorsey.
The app uses Bluetooth mesh to let people send encrypted messages without internet, cellular networks, accounts or central servers. It gained attention for its use during protests and other situations where connectivity was restricted.
India had already ordered GitHub to restrict access to Bitchat’s repositories in July, while the app is now also unavailable on Google Play in India and its website has reportedly been blocked by some Indian internet providers.
Apple’s notice says the app contains content that is illegal in India, but neither the specific content nor the exact Section 69A grounds have been publicly disclosed.
Bitchat has been removed from India’s Apple App Store after the government requested the takedown under Section 69A of the IT Act, according to a notice shared by Jack Dorsey.
The app uses Bluetooth mesh to let people send encrypted messages without internet, cellular networks, accounts or central servers. It gained attention for its use during protests and other situations where connectivity was restricted.
India had already ordered GitHub to restrict access to Bitchat’s repositories in July, while the app is now also unavailable on Google Play in India and its website has reportedly been blocked by some Indian internet providers.
Apple’s notice says the app contains content that is illegal in India, but neither the specific content nor the exact Section 69A grounds have been publicly disclosed.
