Apple removes Dorsey’s Bitchat from India store after government demand

An Apple notice shared by Jack Dorsey cites a demand from India’s IT ministry under a law used to block online information. The app’s disappearance from Google Play and some networks was also reported, but the cause of those restrictions is unclear.

Apple removed Bitchat from its India store after a demand attributed to India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Apple’s notice cites Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, but does not identify the allegedly illegal content or the legal ground.
TechCrunch found the app unavailable on Google Play and its website unreachable through several Indian internet providers; it could not establish whether they received government orders.
Bitchat uses Bluetooth to pass messages between nearby phones without internet access—a feature that has drawn attention during shutdowns around protests.

Apple has removed Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat from its Indian App Store after a government demand, according to an Apple notice the technology entrepreneur shared publicly. The notice attributes the demand to India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and cites Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. Apple also said Bitchat would no longer be available through its TestFlight testing service in India, while remaining available in other countries. ¹

The notice says the app contained content that was illegal in India. It does not specify what that content was or which of Section 69A’s legal grounds the ministry relied on. The law permits the government to order public access to information blocked on specified grounds, including public order and the security of the state. The full government order and its stated reasons were not publicly available in the sources examined. ²³

TechCrunch separately checked Google Play in India and found Bitchat unavailable there. It also reported that the app’s website could not be reached through several Indian internet providers. Those checks establish what the outlet found at the time; they do not establish that Google or the providers received separate government instructions. ⁴

That distinction matters because Bitchat’s removal from app stores is not the same as a ban on the app running on phones where it is already installed. The app uses Bluetooth mesh networking: nearby phones can relay messages between one another without cellular service, an internet connection or central servers. The reporting establishes the limits on access through Apple and, at the time of TechCrunch’s checks, Google Play and some networks—not whether existing installations can still operate. ⁴⁵

The action follows an earlier, separate government move. In July, India’s Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre directed GitHub to restrict access to three Bitchat-related repositories. The notice shared by Dorsey cited different provisions of the Information Technology Act and the 2021 rules. The Indian Express reported that the notice argued the app could frustrate lawful surveillance and continue communications during internet shutdowns. That earlier reasoning does not establish the government’s rationale for the October demand to Apple. ⁶

The timing gives the app’s offline design particular relevance. On 2 October, telecom operators were reportedly directed to suspend internet service around Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for 12 hours during protests over alleged irregularities in voter rolls. Hindustan Times reported the direction but said it had not seen the order. During July protests, demonstrators had turned to Bitchat and other offline messaging tools, according to TechCrunch. ⁷⁴

Apple removes Dorsey’s Bitchat from India store after government demand

Footnotes