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India Removes Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat From App Stores

India Removes Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat From App Stores
Why Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat messenger app was taken down in India: The controversy explained · financialexpress.com

India’s government directed Apple and Google to remove Bitchat from their app stores in the country.

Bitchat is a messaging app created by Jack Dorsey.

It can send messages between nearby phones using Bluetooth, without needing the internet.

The government’s directive reportedly referred to countering terrorist financing and helping law enforcement.

A digital rights group called the removal unconstitutional.

It argued that the law cited should be used to block unlawful information, not an entire messaging app.

Removing the app from stores stops new downloads there, but may not erase it from phones that already have it.

The article says the app can still be downloaded globally.

Key facts

App
Bitchat
Developer
Jack Dorsey
App stores affected
Apple App Store and Google Play Store in India
Technology described
Peer-to-peer Bluetooth mesh networking
Government rationale cited
Countering the Financing of Terrorism provisions and law-enforcement compliance
Legal provision challenged
Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act
Availability
The article says Bitchat remains available to download globally.

Quotes

Internet Freedom Foundation

Indian digital rights organisation commenting on the app’s removal

“The removal of BitChat from the India App Store is unconstitutional. Section 69A permits the blocking of unlawful information, not of a messenger for working during internet shutdowns.”
financialexpress.com

Sources

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