According to a post on X by Jack Dorsey on Sunday, technology giant Apple has removed its decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app Bitchat from the Chinese app store at the request of Chinese regulators. The China Internet Network Information Administration deemed the app to violate regulations governing online services with “public opinion guidance or social mobilization functions,” which are required to undergo security assessments before launch. Apple’s app review team informed Dorsey that the app would no longer be listed in the Chinese app store, and the TestFlight trial version would also be removed; however, the app remains available in other countries. Bitchat operates entirely via Bluetooth and mesh networks, eliminating the need for an internet connection—a design that prevents governments from using conventional internet blockades or firewalls to restrict its use. During recent protests in Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, Indonesia, and Iran, people widely opted to use this app, as these regimes attempted to suppress opposition by restricting internet access. According to Monitored by Woofun AI, the total number of downloads of the app across various platforms has exceeded 3 million, with 92,000 downloads recorded in just the past week; specific regional data is currently unavailable. The Google Play Store also shows that the app has received over 1 million registered downloads.