Jack Dorsey Unveils Bitchat: A Decentralized Bluetooth Messaging Platform

By: Eva Baxter

Jack Dorsey, renowned for co-founding Twitter, has unveiled Bitchat, a groundbreaking decentralized messaging platform focused on ensuring connectivity even without internet access. The innovative application, outlined in its recently published white paper, leverages Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks to facilitate private and secure peer-to-peer communication. Unlike traditional messaging systems reliant on the internet, Bitchat operates through BLE mesh networks, connecting users within a 30-meter range to form a dynamic and widespread communication grid.

Designed with a strong emphasis on privacy and censorship resistance, Bitchat utilizes a mesh protocol enabling devices to connect and create temporary mesh hubs. These hubs allow messages to jump across multiple devices, extending reach beyond direct Bluetooth range. Each device functions dually as client and server, seamlessly forwarding messages through a decentralized system. Importantly, Bitchat ensures security by employing end-to-end encryption and digital signatures that authenticate messages, backed by a unique store-and-forward system capable of caching messages for offline peers.

One of Bitchat’s notable features is its ability to operate without needing traditional identifiers like phone numbers or email addresses. Instead, it supports room-based messaging for group chats, which can be optionally secured with passwords. Messages exist ephemerally in device memory, only being stored temporarily when devices go offline, and are automatically retrieved when they reconnect. This structure facilitates resilience in communication, functioning even during internet outages, emphasizing privacy and security.

The platform is currently in its beta testing phase, as Dorsey experiments with different technical models such as Bluetooth mesh networks and encryption methods akin to the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) systems of the late 1990s. This experimentation reflects a blend of nostalgic technologies with cutting-edge privacy-centric innovations, aiming to redefine how we consider digital communication in times of connectivity constraints. Bitchat stands as a testament to technological advancement, poised to offer users a robust messaging solution irrespective of internet availability.