China Removes Dorsey's Bitchat from Apple App Store

Jack Dorsey's decentralized messaging app, Bitchat, was removed from Apple's App Store in China in February 2026 at the request of the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country's internet regulator. The action targeted the app's potential to influence public opinion and enable social mobilization without prior government approval, highlighting tensions between innovative communication tools and state-controlled digital environments.

The Cyberspace Administration stated that Bitchat violated Article 3 of regulations enacted in 2018, which require services capable of shaping public discourse or organizing groups to undergo mandatory security assessments before launch. Developers must also assume responsibility for the results of those evaluations. Apple's app review team notified Dorsey of the removal, emphasizing compliance with local laws. "We know this stuff is complicated, but it is your responsibility to understand and make sure your app conforms with all local laws," the team wrote in a message shared by Dorsey on X, formerly Twitter, on April 5, 2026. The notice also confirmed that the TestFlight beta version, previously limited to 10,000 testers, would no longer be...