Party fears secret mobilization? Jack Dorsey: China demands Apple pull Bitchat decentralized communication app

Apple has removed the decentralized communications app Bitchat from app stores in accordance with China’s regulatory requirements. The app was deemed to carry a risk of social mobilization due to its Bluetooth offline and mesh network characteristics, prompting attention to concerns about communication freedom and the boundaries of regulation.

Block CEO Jack Dorsey (Jack Dorsey) posted on the social platform X to confirm that Apple, at the request of China’s internet regulatory authorities, has removed the decentralized communications app Bitchat from the Chinese market. The app was found by China to violate relevant communications requirements related to social mobilization, because it has Bluetooth offline transmission and decentralized features.

Bitchat violates China’s cybersecurity law, Apple notifies of takedown

According to information Dorsey shared publicly, China’s Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) stated that Bitchat violated Article 3 of the Provisions on the Security Assessment of Internet-based Information Services with Attribute of Public Opinions or Capable of Social Mobilization (Provisions on the Security Assessment of Internet-based Information Services with Attribute of Public Opinions or Capable of Social Mobilization). This regulation requires online services with the attribute of public opinion or the capability for social mobilization to go through an official security assessment process before they can formally launch and provide services. Apple’s app review team then notified developers that both Bitchat’s official version and its TestFlight testing version cannot continue to be provided in the Chinese market, but the application can still be used and accessed in other countries and regions.

Image source: X/@jack

How does Bitchat work?

Bitchat’s technical architecture differs significantly from traditional communication software. The app operates entirely based on Bluetooth and Mesh Network technology. This peer-to-peer communication mode does not rely on telecom carrier infrastructure or an internet connection. Users can maintain basic communications within a range of 30 to 100 meters, and further distance transmission is achieved through node forwarding. From the perspective of regulators, this design bypasses traditional network firewall filtering and content review systems, making it extremely difficult for the government to block it through traditional measures such as shutting down internet access.

Bitchat is often used for international protests

Because Bitchat operates without needing a network connection, it has become a communications tool used in protests across multiple countries and during internet shutdown incidents. In countries such as Iran, Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, and Indonesia in the past, when governments attempted to restrict information dissemination through technical means, Bitchat’s decentralized characteristics enabled it to continue providing communication functions in special environments. This ability to keep operating under those conditions put it in conflict with Beijing’s current network security review mechanisms, leading to a ban in the Chinese market. This is also the second time that an application supported by Dorsey has been taken down in China after the decentralized social app Damus.

As of early April 2026, the cumulative number of downloads of Bitchat across global platforms has exceeded 3 million. In just the recent week, downloads increased by more than 92,000. Public information from the Google Play Store also shows that the app has recorded more than 1 million registered downloads. While there is currently no detailed data on the distribution of downloads across regional markets, its growth trend indicates that decentralized communication tools are attracting attention in specific markets. The app still remains normally available outside China, continuing to provide offline communication solutions.

• This article was reprinted with permission from: 《ChainNews》
• Original title: 《Jack Dorsey posts confirming that Apple, at China’s request, removes Bitchat— a decentralized communications app》
• Original author: DW