Jack Dorsey is back in builder mode, and this time, it only took a weekend. The Founder of Twitter just launched BitChat, a new Bluetooth Messaging app.
The Twitter and Block founder has released a new app called Bitchat, a minimalist Bluetooth-based messaging platform now available on iOS. It’s a throwback to hyper-local, peer-to-peer communication: no Wi-Fi, no cellular data, no login, just vibes and proximity.
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Dorsey reportedly coded the core of Bitchat in early July, and the app functions via Bluetooth mesh networks. That means users within ~100 meters can message each other, even when offline. It’s not a new concept (remember Bridgefy during the Hong Kong protests?), but Dorsey’s name is drawing fresh attention to this low-fi tech.
How It Works
Once downloaded, Bitchat opens straight into a group chat interface. You can pick or change your display name anytime. That’s it. No profiles, no encryption keys, no passwords. The simplicity is part of the appeal, but also a point of concern.
Bitchat has been marketed as a private, secure alternative to traditional messaging. But security researchers aren’t buying it. Alex Radocea, a well-known security expert, quickly flagged major flaws, most notably, the ease with which users can impersonate others in the chat.
“In cryptography, details matter,” Radocea wrote in a blog post. “A protocol that has the right vibes can have fundamental substance flaws that compromise everything it claims to protect.”
Dorsey acknowledged the criticism and admitted the app hasn’t undergone any external security review yet, a surprising omission for a tool branded around privacy.
While Bitchat is officially available on iOS, Android users must sideload the app via GitHub. Meanwhile, the Google Play Store has become a breeding ground for fakes, with several apps using the “Bitchat” name to capitalize on the buzz. Dorsey reposted a warning to “beware of fakes,” but hasn’t commented further.
So, Who’s It For?
Bluetooth-based messaging apps have a niche appeal: music festivals, disaster zones, and privacy-first communities. Whether Bitchat becomes a crypto-bro walkie-talkie or something more socially subversive remains to be seen.
But one thing’s for sure: when Jack Dorsey says “build,” he doesn’t wait for permission, or, apparently, a security audit.