Apple removes Bitchat app from India App Store 'after government order'

NEW DELHI: Apple has removed Jack Dorsey-backed decentralised messaging app Bitchat from its India App Store following a government direction. Dorsey shared a screenshot of Apple’s communication on X, which said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had sought the app’s removal under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.According to the notice shared by Dorsey, the government told Apple that the app included content that was illegal in India and directed the company to make it unavailable to users in the country. Apple said in its communication that Bitchat would continue to remain available in other territories.The company also said that Bitchat’s TestFlight version, which allows developers to distribute beta versions of apps to users for testing, would no longer be available in India.Bitchat differs from conventional messaging platforms because it does not necessarily require users to connect to the internet or rely on centralised servers. The app uses Bluetooth-based mesh networking, allowing nearby devices to communicate directly with each other and relay messages across a network of connected devices.Its decentralised architecture and ability to enable communication even when conventional internet access is unavailable have brought the app under regulatory scrutiny in India.The latest removal means iPhone users in India can no longer download the app through the official App Store. Apple did not respond to queries sent by TOI on the government direction or the reasons cited for removing Bitchat from its India store.The order comes a day after protests were organised in Delhi and Mumbai by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The app, which can function without internet connectivity, had also faced a government takedown move in July, before again becoming available.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.