Following a request from China's internet regulator, Apple has removed the decentralized messaging app Bitchat from its App Store in China, as announced by Block CEO Jack Dorsey in a recent X post. The Cyberspace Administration of China stated that the app breached regulations related to online services with the potential for public opinion or social mobilization. As a result, Apple's app review team notified Dorsey that both the app's listing and TestFlight beta version would no longer be accessible in China, although the app remains available in other countries. Bitchat's unique design, which enables it to function over Bluetooth and mesh networks without requiring an internet connection, has made it a popular choice among protesters, including those in Iran, Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, and Indonesia, where authorities have attempted to restrict internet access.
With over three million downloads across platforms and more than 92,000 downloads in the past week alone, the app's removal from the China App Store highlights the ongoing tensions between censorship and the use of technology for social mobilization.