India’s move against Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat sparks legal debate

Indian authorities reportedly asked GitHub to restrict Jack Dorsey’s Bluetooth-based, decentralized Bitchat repositories.

Officials said the app could help users bypass internet shutdowns and make lawful interception harder.

The request is drawing legal pushback because it targets the software’s design, not specific illegal content.

The case could become a precedent for whether India can move against open source software based on architecture alone.

It is also intensifying concerns about censorship, encryption, and digital rights during internet shutdowns.