Bitchat, a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app developed by Block CEO Jack Dorsey, has been removed from Apple’s App Store in China for allegedly violating internet service rules.
In an
“Bitchat has been removed from the Chinese App Store,” he said.
Bitchat has seen its popularity rise in recent months amid protests in Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, Indonesia and Iran, as governments tried to shut down regular communication channels and internet access to curb dissent.
The peer-to-peer encrypted messaging service runs entirely over Bluetooth and mesh networks and works without an internet connection, which could run afoul of China’s internet censorship regime.
Bitchat has violated the provision of the internet regulator
The CAC argued that Bitchat had violated Article 3 of its Regulations for Online Services with Potential for Public Opinion or Social Mobilization, which came into force in 2018.
Under the provisions, all online services that could influence public opinion or enable social mobilization must conduct a security assessment before launch and be “responsible for the assessment results,” according to a Google Translate version of the regulations.
The app review team also said that all apps in the store must meet local requirements in the countries where they are available.
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“We know this is complicated, but it is your responsibility to understand and ensure that your app complies with all local laws, not just the guidelines below. And of course, apps that provoke, promote or encourage criminal or reckless behavior will be rejected,” she added.
Still available in other countries
Although Bitchat has been withdrawn in China, it remains available in other countries, according to Apple’s app review team.
Chrome’s download statistics show that the app has been downloaded more than three million times, including more than 92,000 in the past week. The Google Play Store has recorded over one million registered downloads.
However, neither specifies which regions were responsible for the majority of downloads.
By comparison, WeChat, developed and operated by Tencent, one of China’s largest technology companies, has an estimated 810 million users in China, out of a national population of more than 1.4 billion.
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