With Bitchat, Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and CEO of Block, is launching a new messaging project that deliberately bucks the trend toward centralized communication. The app operates entirely without internet, mobile network, or user account—instead, it uses Bluetooth mesh technology for peer-to-peer communication. It sounds radical, but it's well-thought-out. Anyone interested in digital independence should take a closer look at Bitchat.
The trigger for Dorsey's current direction was a 2019 article by Mike Masnick titled "Protocols, Not Platforms." It puts forward the idea that open protocols enable more freedom, competition, and user sovereignty in the long run than closed platforms. Dorsey took this to heart. He first initiated the Bluesky project at Twitter, which later became independent. He then left and founded, among other things, the decentralized social network Damus. He consistently pursues the idea that communication should not be centrally controlled to this day. Bitchat is his latest attempt in this direction.
What bitchat is and how it works
Bitchat is a peer-to-peer messaging app based entirely on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). It uses so-called mesh networks, in which each device becomes part of a larger network and messages are passed from one device to the next – without an internet connection, without a cellular network, without Wi-Fi. You don't need an account, a phone number, or an email. You install the app, and as soon as other users are nearby, you can send them messages directly – end-to-end encrypted and anonymous. According to the white paper published by Dorsey, Bitchat is designed to enable short-lived communication. Messages are not permanently stored but are only used for the moment of transmission. This makes the app particularly robust against censorship, surveillance, and network outages – for example, during natural disasters, political protests, or in areas without a stable internet connection.
The technical basis and open development
Bitchat is not a finished product, but an open project. Dorsey not only released the beta version via Apple's TestFlight, but also linked the source code to GitHub. There's also a white paper , which he himself describes as "ugly," describing the underlying protocol. Importantly, it's a real protocol, not just an app. This means that developers could theoretically build their own applications based on the same principle. Anyone with technical knowledge can jump right in, contribute, or build their own solutions.
Beta test immediately exhausted
As soon as Dorsey published the link to the TestFlight beta, all 10,000 available spots were taken. Interest in an independent, Bluetooth-based messenger app is high, especially in tech circles and among users who value privacy and independence. The app is currently still in a very early testing phase. It's functional, but by no means finished. The project is experimental, open to feedback, and intended more as a proof of concept. Whether it will be further developed in the long term or even become suitable for mass use remains to be seen.
What bitchat means – and what it doesn’t
Bitchat isn't intended as a replacement for WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram—at least not yet. It's also not an app you'd use every day for group chats or multimedia communication. It's primarily aimed at situations where traditional networks are unavailable or undesirable. For example, at festivals, political demonstrations, in crisis zones, or simply in areas without a network. The idea of running messaging completely decentralized over a mesh network isn't new, but it's rarely been implemented so consistently. It's precisely the lack of accounts, phone numbers, and servers that makes Bitchat special.
bitchat: A radical step back to control over communication
With bitchat, Jack Dorsey demonstrates that he's serious about his focus on open protocols and decentralized technologies. The app is deliberately minimalist, operates independently of the internet or mobile networks, and dispenses with any form of user engagement. Thus, it presents a concept that clearly distinguishes itself from conventional platforms. Whether bitchat will find a large user base or remain a project for idealists remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Anyone who wants to embrace digital communication without being dependent on central servers will find it an exciting experiment with a lot of potential. If you want to follow the development of bitchat, it's worth taking a look at GitHub and the TestFlight beta – as long as spots become available again. (Image: Shutterstock / anatoliy_gleb)
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