Bitchat, the decentralized messaging app backed by Jack Dorsey, is no longer available on Apple and Google app stores in India. Apple told Dorsey it received a government order under Section 69A of India's Information Technology Act, according to a notice he posted. The app's TestFlight beta access and its website were also blocked in the country.
The removal follows a July order that directed GitHub to take down Bitchat repositories. At that time, India's government said the app's Bluetooth mesh networking made it difficult for law enforcement to intercept messages or trace users, and that it could keep working during internet shutdowns. The earlier order used a different provision of IT law than the latest one.
The Internet Freedom Foundation called the new order unconstitutional, arguing Section 69A permits blocking unlawful information but not an app simply because it can function offline. The group also said neither the order nor the allegedly illegal content behind it has been made public. The crackdown comes amid protests over voter rolls and temporary internet suspensions in Delhi; Bitchat downloads surged in India during earlier protests, accounting for about 85% of global downloads in a late-July week.