Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, has unveiled a groundbreaking new messaging platform called Bitchat. This experimental app allows users to communicate entirely over Bluetooth mesh networks, removing the need for the internet, SIM cards, phone numbers, email addresses, or servers.
This latest project continues Dorsey’s commitment to decentralized, private, and censorship-resistant technologies, following his support of Bluesky and Damus.
Built for Offline, Private Communication
Now available in beta on TestFlight for iOS, Bitchat enables encrypted peer-to-peer chats between nearby devices using Bluetooth. As users move around, their devices form temporary clusters that pass messages locally from phone to phone—no data connection required.
Messages can also travel across longer distances through “bridge devices” that connect overlapping user clusters. This store-and-forward system allows delivery even when users are temporarily offline.
“It’s a personal experiment in Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, store-and-forward models, and message encryption,” said Dorsey.
How Bitchat Works
Bitchat is designed for maximum privacy and resilience, especially during situations like internet shutdowns, blackouts, or government surveillance. Key features include:
- One-on-one encrypted chats
- Group messaging via password-protected rooms and searchable hashtags
- No accounts, no metadata — full anonymity
- Messages stored locally and disappear by default
- Store-and-forward delivery for users who go offline
Future updates are expected to support Wi-Fi Direct for even broader offline communication.
Inspired by Protest Movements and Privacy Concerns
Bitchat’s design echoes tools used during the 2019 Hong Kong protests, where activists used Bluetooth mesh networks to bypass surveillance. With growing concerns over digital surveillance, centralized platforms, and censorship, Dorsey’s Bitchat taps into a demand for resilient, peer-to-peer communication tools.
The project also aligns with his support for open-source and federated technologies, including Damus (built on the Nostr protocol) and Bluesky.
Open Source and Community-Driven
The app is currently in beta, but Dorsey has made Bitchat’s whitepaper available on GitHub, inviting developers to contribute or build on its decentralized messaging protocol.
As governments and Big Tech face increasing scrutiny, Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat messaging app may be an important step toward empowering users with tools for free, private, and offline communication—no internet required
