On July 23, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, a unit of the home ministry, directed GitHub to remove the Bitchat app, a Bluetooth-based messaging platform developed by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter. Dorsey shared a copy of the notice on X, stating that the Indian government wants the app taken down. The notice alleged that Bitchat enables communication during network restrictions, posing a significant risk of misuse by anti-national elements, terrorist organizations, and cybercriminals.
The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre identified multiple apps, including Bitchat, as decentralized peer-to-peer messaging platforms that can operate without mobile networks or internet connectivity. The notice stated that these apps can be used to evade lawful detection and continue communication despite restrictions. The centre cited the example of a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where users utilized Bluetooth-based messaging apps after the government imposed temporary internet restrictions.
The Internet Freedom Foundation condemned the government’s move, calling it unconstitutional. The notice to GitHub mentioned that the app violates sections of the IT Act and other laws. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre has expressed concerns that such decentralized communication platforms can be exploited for coordinating unlawful activities, disseminating misinformation, and facilitating criminal conspiracies.
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📰 Source: Siasat Gulf