The Indian government has ordered GitHub to remove Jack Dorsey's Bitchat app code within three hours, raising concerns over surveillance and misuse amid ongoing protests.
Action Against Decentralized App
The Indian government has directed GitHub to remove the Bitchat code, a decentralized messaging application developed by Jack Dorsey, within three hours. This order was issued by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which expressed concerns that the app's design could obstruct lawful surveillance and potentially be misused during civil unrest or internet outages.
Specifically, the directive targets three repositories linked to Bitchat, including its main project and Android versions. The I4C's communication cited provisions from the IT Act and 2021 IT Rules, demanding GitHub to "remove and disable access" to Bitchat code while preserving evidence of the repositories' existence.
Concerns Over Surveillance
According to the I4C, Bitchat operates independently of the internet, using Bluetooth mesh networks for device communication which makes it difficult for authorities to track or intercept communications. The agency warned that the application could be exploited for activities such as organized crime, terrorism, and public disorder.
"The government of India does not like technologies like Bitchat," Dorsey tweeted alongside the notice.
In response to this action, the Internet Freedom Foundation criticized the government’s directive as "unconstitutional and authoritarian," arguing that it did not specify illegal content and bypassed India's legal blocking procedures. The foundation asserted that moves against Bitchat underscore governments' fears regarding free communication.
Context of Protests
This development coincides with widespread protests in India, where citizens rallied against recent exam-paper leaks, mobilizing under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Amid mobile internet restrictions near protest sites, demonstrators turned to Bitchat for coordination. The protests have drawn significant media attention as Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised swift legal action against implicated officials.
While India is not the first nation to challenge Bitchat—China previously removed it from the Apple App Store—this action aims to eliminate the app's operational foundation. However, as an open-source project, the code can be replicated elsewhere, and shortly after the Indian order, Bitchat repositories were mirrored on GitLawb, a decentralized platform. Additionally, Dorsey’s company Block recently introduced Buzz, another decentralized messaging solution, indicating a trend toward alternatives to GitHub.
