Does the party fear secret mobilization? Jack Dorsey: China is asking Apple to remove Bitchat, a decentralized communications app

Apple has removed the decentralized messaging app Bitchat from app stores in response to China’s regulatory requirements. The app was deemed to carry social mobilization risk due to its Bluetooth offline and mesh network characteristics, sparking concerns about freedom of communication and the boundary between communications and regulation.

Block CEO Jack Dorsey (Jack Dorsey) posted on the social platform X to confirm that, at the request of China’s internet regulatory authorities, Apple has removed the decentralized messaging app Bitchat from the Chinese region. Because the app features Bluetooth offline transmission and decentralized characteristics, China has determined it violates the relevant communications regulations by authorities regarding social mobilization.

Bitchat violates China’s Cybersecurity Law, Apple issues a notice to remove it

According to information Dorsey publicly shared, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that Bitchat violates Article 3 of the Provisions on the Security Assessment of Internet-based Information Services with Attribute of Public Opinions or Capable of Social Mobilization (internet-based information service security assessment provisions with attributes of public opinion or capable of social mobilization). This law requires online services with attributes of public opinion or capable of social mobilization to go through an official security assessment process before officially launching to provide services. Apple’s app review team then notified developers that both the official version of Bitchat and its TestFlight testing version can no longer be supplied to the Chinese market, but the app 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 messaging software. The app runs entirely based on Bluetooth (Bluetooth) and mesh network (Mesh Network) technology. This peer-to-peer communication model does not rely on telecommunications carrier infrastructure or an internet connection. Users can maintain basic communications within a range of 30 to 100 meters. By forwarding through nodes, it enables transmission over longer distances. For regulators, this design bypasses traditional network firewalls’ filtering and content inspection systems, making it extremely difficult for the government to block it at the technical level using traditional measures such as blocking access to the internet.

Bitchat is often used for international protests

Because Bitchat can operate without an internet connection, it has become a communications tool used by participants during protests and internet shutdown events in multiple countries. In the past, in countries such as Iran, Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, and Indonesia, when governments tried to restrict the spread of information through technical means, Bitchat’s decentralized characteristics played a role in enabling communication functions. Its ability to keep operating in special environments has put it in conflict with Beijing’s current internet security review and scrutiny mechanism, leading to a ban in the Chinese market. This is also why, after the decentralized social app Damus, the application supported by Dorsey was taken down from China again.

As of early April 2026, the cumulative number of downloads of Bitchat across global platforms has exceeded 3 million. In just the most recent week, it added more than 92k downloads. Public information from the Google Play Store also shows that the app has recorded more than 1 million registered downloads. Although detailed download distribution data across regional markets is currently lacking, its growth trend suggests that decentralized communication tools are drawing attention in certain markets. At present, the app continues to be supplied normally in regions outside China, providing ongoing offline communication solutions.

• This article is reprinted with authorization from: 《ChainNews》
• Original title: 《Jack Dorsey posts confirming that Apple, at China’s request, removes Bitchat decentralized communication software》
• Original author: DW