India Orders GitHub Inc. to Remove Jack Dorsey's BitChat App

The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), an agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs, ordered GitHub Inc. to disable access to three repositories for BitChat on July 23 and 24, 2026. The government gave GitHub Inc. a three-hour deadline to comply or face criminal prosecution, citing Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act and Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, 2021.

BitChat, developed by Jack Dorsey, uses Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networks to enable peer-to-peer communication without internet or centralized servers. The I4C argues that this decentralized architecture prevents lawful interception and could be exploited by terrorist organizations, cybercriminals, and those coordinating unlawful assemblies. The crackdown follows reports that the app was used by students protesting entrance exam leaks and by members of the Cockroach Janata Party to circumvent mobile internet shutdowns during protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Digital rights organizations, including the Internet Freedom Foundation and SFLC.in, criticized the order as disproportionate and lacking a lawful basis. They argue that blocking software based on the potential for misuse rather than evidence of unlawful content sets a dangerous precedent. Jack Dorsey publicized the government's takedown notice on X, stating that the Indian government wants the technology removed.