While Uganda is experiencing a total internet blackout, the Bitchat app, created by Jack Dorsey, is seeing a spike in downloads. Already adopted in Iran and several other countries facing government censorship, Bitchat is establishing itself as a tool of resistance. But how far can these kinds of apps really protect your freedom of expression?
Bitchat: a tool of resistance against censorship by hostile governments
As reported by the Reuters news agency, Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat app has seen a spike in activity in Uganda in recent days.
Bitchat is a next-generation messaging app designed to connect users within short range using Bluetooth, without the need for an internet connection. To learn more about how it works, check out our article on the subject.
Since Tuesday, January 13, internet access has been completely suspended in Uganda. According to the government, this shutdown is intended to prevent misinformation and incitement to violence, but it has been widely criticized by international observers, who see it as an attempt to stifle electoral transparency.
In this context, the Twitter founder’s messaging app has risen to the top of the download rankings on the App Store and Play Store. In Uganda, more than 28,000 downloads have been recorded this year, according to research firm Apptopia.
This trend follows a message posted on X by Bobi Wine, Ugandan pop star and leading opposition candidate, urging people to download Bitchat so they can continue to communicate.
The criminal regime has announced an internet shutdown throughout Uganda, beginning 6:00pm today, ahead of the election on Thursday.
Have you downloaded Bitchat yet? If not, you have a small window to do so. Click on this link: https://t.co/Aog8gOmS2a
Also, have you uploaded… pic.twitter.com/vx9xIJA8wA
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) January 13, 2026
Faced with massive internet shutdowns imposed by Tehran to stifle popular protests, Bitchat is also enjoying some success in Iran. According to Reuters, its use has more than tripled in recent days.
Similar spikes have also been observed around the world: in Nepal in September, to circumvent a brief ban on social media during protests against corruption; and in Madagascar and Indonesia, for similar reasons.
Don’t confuse usage with promise
As the Reuters article points out, these messaging services, designed to operate independently of the internet, remain less popular than WhatsApp or Apple’s iMessage. Nevertheless, by offering a resilient alternative that does not depend on a centralized infrastructure, these applications have become essential tools for protesters facing increasing internet shutdowns imposed by certain governments.
However, as we pointed out in our article introducing Bitchat, ideological promises are no substitute for guarantees of technical reliability.
Bridgefy, widely adopted during mass protests in Hong Kong, India, Zimbabwe, and Belarus, has attracted the attention of security experts. A study conducted by researchers at Royal Holloway, University of London, reveals that its protocol has several flaws that could compromise user privacy and security.
The results of their study show that Bridgefy “allows its users to be tracked, offers no guarantee of authenticity, no effective protection of confidentiality, and has no resilience against maliciously crafted messages.”
Thus, if protesters rely on Bridgefy, an adversary could reconstruct social graphs about them, read their messages, impersonate anyone to anyone, and bring down the entire network with a single maliciously crafted message.
This may be what Nyombi Thembo, executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), meant when he said: “We know how to make it ineffective. So don’t get carried away with Bitchat. It’s just a small thing.”
Thus, Bitchat does not meet the same cryptographic standards as applications such as Olvid or SimpleX Chat. However, it should be remembered that users’ needs vary depending on their situation, with freedom of expression remaining the only truly shared and sought-after goal.
