India's Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has ordered GitHub to take down three code repositories belonging to Bitchat, a Bluetooth mesh messaging app backed by Block CEO Jack Dorsey. The platform was given just three hours to comply with the removal order.
Why the order was issued
The I4C, an arm of India's Ministry of Home Affairs, did not publicly specify the reason for the takedown demand. Bitchat is a decentralized messaging app that uses Bluetooth mesh networking to allow communication without internet access. Jack Dorsey published the app's code on GitHub earlier this year.
GitHub's compliance deadline
GitHub was told to remove the three repositories within three hours. It is not known whether the platform met that deadline. Neither GitHub nor Jack Dorsey have issued a public statement about the order.
What is Bitchat?
Bitchat is a peer-to-peer messaging app that relies on Bluetooth mesh technology rather than traditional cellular or Wi-Fi networks. The app is backed by Jack Dorsey, who also co-founded Twitter and Square. Dorsey published the Bitchat source code on GitHub, making it publicly available.
What happens next
The three-hour deadline has passed, but no confirmation of compliance or non-compliance has emerged. The I4C has not indicated whether it will take further action if GitHub did not remove the code. GitHub has not responded to requests for comment.
