China compels Apple to delist Dorsey's Bluetooth mesh app Bitchat for breaching social mobilization rules

Chinese authorities compelled Apple to remove Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat from the company’s China App Store after the Cyberspace Administration of China said the platform breached regulations governing social mobilization services, according to multiple reports and regulator statements ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

Bitchat operates via Bluetooth and mesh networking to function independently of internet infrastructure, and has surpassed three million global installations, including over 92,000 recent downloads; reporting says the application continues to operate normally in markets outside China ^{[1] [4]}.

Jack Dorsey confirmed that Apple pulled Bitchat from China’s App Store in February; the removal appears limited to Apple’s Chinese storefront while the app remains available elsewhere ^{[2] [3]}.

The action underscores China’s enforcement of its internet and social mobilization rules: Bitchat has been removed from Apple’s China App Store but continues to be accessible in other countries ^{[1] [2]}.