Apple removes Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat from India App Store, cites MeitY order under IT act

Apple has removed Bitchat, the offline messaging app developed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, from the India App Store following a government order issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

Dorsey shared a screenshot of Apple’s App Review notification on X on Saturday, October 3, saying: “government of India officially removes bitchat from the App Store.”

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According to the notice shared by Dorsey, Apple said the application would be removed from the India App Store following a demand from MeitY. The company cited content that it said was illegal in India and therefore not compliant with its App Review Guidelines.

MeitY invoked Section 69A of IT Act

Apple’s notification states that MeitY issued the takedown demand under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The provision allows the central government to direct intermediaries to block public access to specified information under circumstances covered by the law.

However, the Apple notice does not specify what particular content in Bitchat was considered illegal in India or which specific ground under Section 69A was cited. Apple directed the developer to contact MeitY for additional information regarding the removal.

The removal is currently specific to India. Apple said Bitchat would continue to be available in other territories selected by the developer through App Store Connect. The company also said the TestFlight version would no longer be available for internal or external testing in India, while public TestFlight links would stop functioning there.

What is Bitchat?

Bitchat is a decentralised messaging application that allows users to communicate without relying on mobile networks, internet connectivity or centralised servers. It uses Bluetooth mesh technology, with nearby devices relaying messages between one another.

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The app attracted attention in India earlier this year after authorities sought action against its repositories on GitHub. In July, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued a notice directing GitHub to remove Bitchat repositories, citing concerns over the platform's ability to facilitate communication outside conventional internet infrastructure.

The earlier action was based on Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, making the latest MeitY demand under Section 69A a separate government action.

Bitchat's decentralised architecture has also been cited as a reason it can function during internet disruptions, but the same characteristics have raised concerns among authorities about lawful interception and investigation.