Jack Dorsey, CEO of Block and co-founder of Twitter, has introduced Bitchat, an innovative peer-to-peer messaging application that operates without internet connectivity or user accounts. This new venture reflects Dorsey’s ongoing commitment to the concept of open protocols.
In 2019, Mike Masnick of TechDirt published a pivotal paper titled “Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech,” which has evidently influenced Dorsey’s vision. Following the release of this paper, he initiated the Bluesky project, initially within Twitter, which later became an independent entity. Dorsey has since advocated for open protocols as a means to enhance competition and empower users regarding their privacy and freedom of expression.
After stepping down as Twitter’s CEO just prior to Elon Musk’s acquisition and the subsequent rebranding to X, Dorsey took a position on Bluesky’s board, from which he has now departed. Additionally, he established Damus, a distinct decentralized social networking platform.
This weekend, Dorsey revealed his latest project, Bitchat. In his Twitter announcement, he shared details of the project, stating,
My weekend project to learn about bluetooth mesh networks, relays and store and forward models, message encryption models, and a few other things.
Bitchat, currently in its beta phase, quickly attracted attention. Dorsey’s TestFlight link for the app saw its 10,000 available beta slots fill up almost immediately. The app promises a fascinating concept: a messaging platform relying solely on Bluetooth mesh networks, eliminating the need for phone numbers, email addresses, Wi-Fi, or cellular service.
In conjunction with the TestFlight link, Dorsey also shared resources on GitHub and a preliminary whitepaper outlining the app’s protocol. The whitepaper describes Bitchat as:
(…) a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks. It provides ephemeral, encrypted communication without relying on internet infrastructure, making it resilient to network outages and censorship.
It’s uncertain whether Bitchat will evolve into a widely used tool or remain a niche project for the tech-savvy idealists, but it’s clear Dorsey is determined to apply his ‘protocols, not platforms’ philosophy in pursuit of innovation akin to that of Twitter.
Are you intrigued by Bitchat? Do you believe it can transcend its initial hype? Share your thoughts in the comments.
