3 hrs ago
Apple Removes Bitchat From India App Store After MeitY Demand
Jack Dorsey says Apple has removed his Bitchat app from its store in India.
Apple said it acted after a request from India’s IT ministry and because the app contained content considered illegal there.
Its notice cited a law called Section 69A, but did not say exactly what content was at issue or which legal reason applied.
Bitchat lets nearby devices send messages using Bluetooth, without needing the internet or a central server.
The app can still be offered in other places chosen by its developer.
In India, its TestFlight testing versions and public links are also unavailable.
The government had raised concerns about Bitchat before.
In July, a cybercrime agency asked GitHub to remove the app’s repositories, saying the technology could help people communicate despite internet restrictions and evade lawful monitoring.
Jack Dorsey said Apple removed his offline messaging app Bitchat from India’s App Store after a demand from MeitY.
Apple’s notice said the app contained content considered illegal in India and cited Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The notice did not identify the specific content or the particular Section 69A ground behind the demand.
Bitchat remains available in other territories chosen by its developer, but its TestFlight versions and public links are unavailable in India.
In July, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre directed GitHub to remove Bitchat repositories, citing concerns about evading lawful surveillance and restrictions.
- Who
- Apple, acting after a demand from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, removed Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat from the India App Store.
- What
- Bitchat was removed from the India App Store, and its TestFlight versions and public links became unavailable in India.
- Where
- India; Apple said the app remained available in other territories selected by its developer.
- When
- Dorsey announced the removal on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
- Why
- Apple’s notice said MeitY requested removal under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, because the app contained content considered illegal in India. The notice did not specify the content or the particular legal ground.
Authorities’ concerns
App functionality and unanswered questions
Decentralised messaging and lawful oversight
Authorities’ concerns
The July notice cited concerns that Bitchat could enable communication during internet restrictions, evade lawful surveillance, and facilitate unlawful activity.
App functionality and unanswered questions
Bitchat is described as allowing nearby devices to communicate over Bluetooth without internet access or central servers; the articles do not provide a detailed response from Dorsey to the latest demand.
Basis for the latest removal
Authorities’ concerns
Apple said MeitY requested the removal because the app contained content considered illegal in India, citing Section 69A.
App functionality and unanswered questions
The notice shared by Dorsey did not identify the specific content or the particular Section 69A ground behind the demand.
Key facts
- App
- Bitchat, a decentralised messaging application
- Developer
- Jack Dorsey
- Removal scope
- India App Store; availability in other territories selected by the developer was unaffected
- Cited provision
- Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000
- TestFlight
- Internal and external testing versions and public links were unavailable in India
- Earlier action
- In July, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre directed GitHub to remove Bitchat repositories
- How it works
- Uses Bluetooth mesh or peer-to-peer communication without internet connectivity or central servers
Quotes
Jack Dorsey
Technology entrepreneur and developer of Bitchat
“We are writing to notify you that your application, per demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will be removed from the India App Store because it includes content that is illegal in India, which is not in compliance with the App Review Guidelines.”
theprint.in
“The Government of India does not like technologies like Bitchat and wants it taken down.”
theprint.in
Apple App Store notice
Notice informing the application’s developer of its removal from the India App Store.
“We are writing to notify you that your application, per demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will be removed from the India App Store because it includes content that is illegal in India, which is not in compliance with the App Review Guidelines.”
NDTV
timesnownews.com
Sources
Apple removes Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat from India App Store, cites MeitY order under IT act
Apple removes 'Bitchat' from 'India App Store' after MeitY order: Jack Dorsey
Bitchat removed from Apple’s India App Store following govt’s demand: Jack Dorsey
Bitchat Removed From Apple's India App Store After Centre's Order
Jack Dorsey's Bitchat Removed From Apple's India App Store, Was Flagged During CJP Protests
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