Jack Dorsey, Block CEO and Twitter co-founder, has launched the beta version of Bitchat, a new decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging service that operates entirely over Bluetooth networks. Announcing the project on X, Dorsey shared that his weekend was spent diving into “Bluetooth mesh networks, relays, store and forward models, message encryption models, and a few other things” while preparing the launch. Describing Bitchat as having “IRC vibes,” Dorsey referenced the early days of Internet Relay Chat from the late 1990s, signaling a return to minimal, decentralized communication protocols. The platform is designed to function without internet infrastructure, offering encrypted, ephemeral messaging resilient to censorship and network outages. Bitchat: Decentralized, Encrypted, and Serverless According to Bitchat’s white paper, the messaging app operates over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks, removing the need for centralized servers , phone numbers, or email registrations. Messages are stored only in device memory, providing ephemeral communication with an added layer of end-to-end encryption to ensure privacy. Unlike popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, which are controlled by large corporations and often collect user data, Bitchat’s decentralized design prioritizes privacy. The system also allows for multi-hop message relaying, with messages capable of automatically jumping across devices within a 30-meter Bluetooth range, using bridge nodes to connect clusters. Users can create room-based chats using hashtags, with optional password protection, and a “store-and-forward” mechanism can cache messages for offline peers temporarily. The app fragments large messages into 500-byte chunks to enable smooth transmission across the network. Potential Use in Protests and Disasters Bitchat’s decentralized design opens up use cases in environments where internet access is unreliable or unavailable, such as during protests, conferences, or in disaster-hit areas. The system’s resilience to censorship and infrastructure failures aligns with Dorsey’s advocacy for decentralized and open protocols. There are further plans to expand Bitchat’s capabilities to support WiFi-based messaging, which would improve bandwidth and support the transfer of larger messages. Having previously led Twitter and founded Bluesky in 2019, Dorsey is well-versed in building messaging platforms, though he left Bluesky’s board in May 2024 without public explanation . The post Jack Dorsey Unveils Bitchat, a Decentralized Bluetooth Messaging App appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .
