Bitchat Dev Says App Can’t Be Blocked in Uganda
A Bitchat developer dismissed Uganda's threat to shut down the decentralized messaging app before the presidential election.Summary
A developer for Bitchat, the decentralized messaging app promoted by Jack Dorsey, expressed doubt regarding the Uganda Communications Commission's (UCC) threat to disable the application ahead of the presidential election. The UCC executive director, Nyombi Thembo, claimed they possess the technical capability to stop Bitchat, which uses Bluetooth mesh networks for communication without needing the internet. The app saw a surge in downloads after opposition leader Bobi Wine encouraged citizens to install it in anticipation of a potential government-imposed internet shutdown, a tactic used in previous elections. The developer, Calle, countered Thembo's claims by stating, "You can’t stop Bitchat. You can’t stop us," emphasizing that the app is free, open-source, and unstoppable because it requires no central servers or registration. Uganda has previously cut internet access during the 2016 and 2021 elections. Bitchat's decentralized nature makes it useful during such blackouts, and it has seen global adoption during other crises, including protests in Nepal and after a hurricane in Jamaica.
(Source：Cointelegraph)