# Jack Dorsey launching a new messaging app (Bitchat) **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/jack-dorsey-launching-a-new-messaging-app-bitchat/28959 **Category:** General **Tags:** software **Created:** 2025-07-07T18:01:27Z **Posts:** 33 ## Post 1 by @yolakalemowa — 2025-07-07T18:01:27Z [Link to Github](https://github.com/jackjackbits/bitchat). Has anyone seen this? Would love to hear some expert opinion before it blows up anyway since it’s trending atm. --- ## Post 2 by @fria — 2025-07-07T18:05:05Z Looks extremely interesting, a messenger optimized for Bluetooth mesh networks would be really cool to see. I’d like to see it formally audited but definitely something to keep an eye on. --- ## Post 3 by @anon57862721 — 2025-07-07T18:07:33Z It has great use cases for sure. But I would still like to be able to use this via the internet. --- ## Post 4 by @anon63378630 — 2025-07-07T20:56:12Z - Limited to iOS so far, available via TestFlight - iOS apps can’t run in the background, so this seems very limited use - There are already better longstanding options: - [https://briarproject.org/](https://briarproject.org/) - [https://meshtastic.org/](https://meshtastic.org/) - [https://reticulum.network/](https://reticulum.network/) Related: [xkcd: Standards](https://xkcd.com/927/) --- ## Post 5 by @iluvprivacy — 2025-07-08T07:12:59Z How is it any better or worse than Briar? --- ## Post 6 by @KevPham — 2025-07-08T11:52:54Z At most, I can see this being used for large protests or hidden conversations within the local vicinity. Can someone elaborate whether it can be used for any other purpose besides these two? > [@iluvprivacy](#): > > How is it any better or worse than Briar? Besides being an established project, Briar can be used over the internet and TOR. Bluetooth is more of a secondary feature. On the otherhand, Bitchat relies purely on Bluetooth mesh networks and is P2P. --- ## Post 7 by @Cork — 2025-07-08T14:57:43Z Wouldn’t Apple Messages with all parties having advanced data protection turned offer the same benefits as this? --- ## Post 8 by @maqp — 2025-07-08T15:47:17Z I’m really puzzled where these messaging apps become useful. The range isn’t large enough for a big household, let alone educational facility or WAN to cover where people live. Sure some people like to setup their own antennas etc but usually those are radio amateurs and the ranges are vastly superior. It probably works nicely in a protest to share e.g. filmed evidence, but bringing the phone there makes you trackable. --- ## Post 9 by @fria — 2025-07-08T16:49:46Z No you’d still need internet, and iMessage doesn’t really try to hide who’s talking to who. --- ## Post 10 by @KevPham — 2025-07-08T16:53:20Z > **[Jack Dorsey launches a WhatsApp messaging rival built on Bluetooth](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/07/jack-dorsey-whatsapp-bluetooth.html)** > > Block CEO Jack Dorsey has launched Bitchat, a new peer-to-peer messaging app that works entirely over Bluetooth mesh networks. Future support for WiFi direct is anticipated to increased recipient range --- ## Post 11 by @anon63378630 — 2025-07-10T16:38:34Z a wild android port appears! [GitHub - permissionlesstech/bitchat-android: bluetooth mesh chat, IRC vibes](https://github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat-android) --- ## Post 12 by @KathyM — 2025-07-10T17:25:07Z No. Ivan the Terrible would just order the Internet shut down and now iMessage no longer works. --- ## Post 13 by @KathyM — 2025-07-10T17:26:56Z Seconding meshtastic. No cell phone towers needed, just you and your meshtastic device. At least until they bring signal jammers. --- ## Post 14 by @Cork — 2025-07-10T18:24:18Z Perfect explanation. --- ## Post 15 by @anonymous371 — 2025-07-19T20:08:56Z > **[Building secure messaging is hard: A nuanced take on the Bitchat security debate](https://blog.trailofbits.com/2025/07/18/building-secure-messaging-is-hard-a-nuanced-take-on-the-bitchat-security-debate/)** > > The release of Bitchat last week was met with a mixture of glowing praise and sharp criticism. Both extremes bear some truth, but they also miss the mark and reveal gaps in how we discuss security in emerging products. --- ## Post 16 by @KevPham — 2025-07-21T15:59:37Z > Radocea demonstrated a man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack that exploits Bitchat’s broken identity authentication system, allowing attackers to impersonate trusted contacts. The app also currently doesn’t reach the industry standard level of forward secrecy; the app has forward secrecy at the “session” level, but the encryption keys are static for each “session.” So it lacks basic features like forward secrecy and a proper authentication system? At least Dorsey is being honest about how unfinished it is lol. --- ## Post 17 by @anonymous371 — 2025-07-21T16:30:05Z > [@KevPham](#): > > At least Dorsey is being honest about how unfinished it is lol. _Not really_. But it is great he is listening and improving. > **Dorsey deserves criticism** for the way he framed the release. Despite including security warnings in the README, he immediately discussed using Bitchat in high-risk scenarios like protests in Kenya, which are exactly the sensitive use cases his own warnings advised against. When you’re Jack Dorsey and know the tech media will amplify anything you release, you have a responsibility to be more careful about messaging and expectations. --- ## Post 18 by @InternetGhost — 2025-07-21T18:24:35Z I can see an app like this and Briar also being good on emergency ency situations. Like if the electrical grid gets knocked out in an area, at least people can still communicate for those who can generate power for charging a phone but don’t have cell service. But even in that scenario it depends on enough people having Bluetooth on to use it. Idk if it would compete with just getting the word around in person. --- ## Post 19 by @KevPham — 2025-07-21T21:10:45Z > [@InternetGhost](#): > > enough people having Bluetooth on to use it. Idk if it would compete with just getting the word around in person. Bluetooth Mesh works great on paper until you realize that the network effect exists. At that point, you might as well learn ham radio or yell out things in your vicinity during a crisis. What would be interesting is whether these apps can break this paradox and increase adoption after a crisis. Maybe it won’t be useful on day zero, but a few early adopters can publicize its usefulness as a small case study. --- ## Post 20 by @xe3 — 2025-07-22T02:54:40Z > [@InternetGhost](#): > > Idk if it would compete with just getting the word around in person. I think for it to be viable, you’d need to have pretty high population density, and a majority of people using the app. In my experience bluetooth distance is more or less “shouting distance” so it seems it would only be practical for dissemination of info if there were a critical mass of users in a small area that could act as relays (e.g. a mass protest or march, a multi-story apartment building, dorm, a concert or football game. > [@KevPham](#): > > or yell out things in your vicinity during a crisis. Techies investing billions (not really) to reinvent an over-engineered version of the [town crier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_crier) and/or ‘word of mouth’ :rofl: (I’m mostly just being facetious here, there may be some great comparative advantages for such messengers) --- ## Post 21 by @KevPham — 2025-07-22T06:24:23Z > [@xe3](#): > > billions More so techies investing their retirement into developing semi-functional apps haha Imagine getting rich off Tw\*tter and spending money on fancy open source proof-of-concepts every month or so. It’s like creating startups without the stress of managing them! --- ## Post 22 by @Throwaway — 2026-01-07T19:00:36Z > **[Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat Sees Downloads Spike in Uganda Over Internet Shutdown...](https://gizmodo.com/jack-dorseys-bitchat-sees-downloads-spike-in-uganda-over-internet-shutdown-worries-2000706828)** > > Ugandans have good reason to believe there will be a blackout soon. --- ## Post 23 by @fria — 2026-01-07T19:03:13Z There’s still a warning on Bitchat’s [Github](https://github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat) that the encryption hasn’t received external security review, might not be the best choice. --- ## Post 24 by @Throwaway — 2026-01-07T19:13:12Z True, but in Uganda it might be your only choice. --- ## Post 25 by @anon57862721 — 2026-01-07T20:38:42Z The world needs more of Meshtastic > **[Meshtastic](https://meshtastic.org/)** > > An open source, off-grid, decentralized, mesh network built to run on affordable, low-power devices --- ## Post 26 by @lyricism — 2026-01-08T00:03:22Z But…how are they downloading it if the internet is currently shut down? --- ## Post 27 by @anon12918199 — 2026-01-08T00:09:48Z Starlink? --- ## Post 28 by @Throwaway — 2026-01-08T01:21:59Z It’s not shut down yet. But they are worried it will be shut down soon so they’re rushing to get it now. --- ## Post 29 by @nombrefalso — 2026-01-22T19:51:55Z I see that Bitchat seems to be on Android now? That’s a plus over Briar. Any other notable news? --- ## Post 30 by @seize — 2026-01-22T23:33:46Z Not sure what you mean here, as Briar is absolutely available on Android. Briar is however not available on iOS unlike bitchat apears to now be. [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bitchat-mesh/id6748219622](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bitchat-mesh/id6748219622) --- ## Post 31 by @nombrefalso — 2026-01-22T23:50:58Z Sorry, that’s what I meant. Briar is only on Android. Bitchat started only on iOS but now is also on Android, and that’s the plus. --- ## Post 32 by @anon98749087 — 2026-01-23T00:23:41Z have you successfully used meshtastic (encrypted) for reliable communication? i tested several different devices with a group of about fifteen people a year ago and it was essentially unusable even over relatively close distances like a quarter of a mile. it was also very hard to get everyone set up and connected on the same encrypted channel. it seems like meshtastic would only be practical if people set up broadcast antennas like 50+ feet in the air ever quarter or half mile for the entire area people would want to communicate. even then, it’s not really a guarantee your message will reach your desired target within the amount of hops allowed due to how the protocol works. has something changed with all this? has it become more practical or usable in some way? --- ## Post 33 by @Honolumbus — 2026-01-24T02:27:51Z Their github page lists the Nostr Protocol for Internet connectivity now.