Apple removes Bitchat app from India App Store 'after government order'
Apple has removed the decentralized messaging app Bitchat from its India App Store following a government directive under the Information Technology Act. The app, which uses Bluetooth mesh networking to function without internet, has faced repeated regulatory scrutiny in the country.
Why it matters
The removal highlights the ongoing tension between decentralized communication technologies and government efforts to regulate digital content and national security.
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.
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