Jack Dorsey's decentralized messaging app Bitchat has been removed from Apple's App Store and Google Play in India after the government issued a blocking order under Section 69A of the IT Act. The app, which enables offline encrypted messaging via Bluetooth mesh networking, will remain available outside India but its TestFlight beta access is also blocked domestically.
Background
India has increasingly used Section 69A of the IT Act to block apps and websites deemed a threat to national security or public order. This marks another instance of the Indian government exercising digital platform regulation over foreign tech products.
- Source
- TechCrunch
- Published
- Oct 3, 2026 at 11:02 PM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10