Internet Freedom Foundation calls India’s BitChat GitHub takedown order ‘unconstitutional’

What the report says

Cointelegraph reported that India’s Internet Freedom Foundation has criticized a government directive requiring GitHub to take down repositories linked to BitChat, a decentralized messaging app associated with Jack Dorsey. The digital rights organization described the order as unconstitutional, arguing that it goes beyond the government’s authority and poses risks to free expression and open-source development.

According to Cointelegraph, the statement followed an order from India’s cybercrime agency instructing GitHub to disable access to three BitChat repositories within three hours. The agency reportedly cited concerns that the app could help users get around internet shutdowns, avoid lawful monitoring, or support illegal activity. IFF said the government relied on Section 79(3)(b) of India’s Information Technology Act rather than India’s formal website-blocking procedure, which the group said includes safeguards. It urged officials to withdraw the notice and disclose takedown orders issued under that provision.

IFF also challenged the basis for the order, saying it did not point to specific illegal material in the repositories. Instead, the group said the government appeared to treat BitChat’s technical design as the problem. Cointelegraph described BitChat as an encrypted, Bluetooth-based messaging tool that can relay messages between nearby devices without internet access or central servers.

The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of digital rights, public safety, platform compliance and government control over online tools. Cointelegraph noted that since BitChat’s July 2025 release, the app has been used or adopted during protests, disasters and internet disruptions in several countries, including Madagascar, Nepal, Uganda, Jamaica and Iran.