Nepal Protests Spark Bitchat Surge After Social Media Ban

During nationwide anti-corruption protests in Nepal, authorities briefly banned mainstream platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X and YouTube. In response, more than 48,000 users downloaded Jack Dorsey’s peer-to-peer encrypted messaging app Bitchat via Bluetooth Mesh and Wi-Fi–based networking—up from 3,344 the previous week. Bitchat’s decentralized, serverless design requires no accounts or phone numbers. It enables censorship-resistant communication when internet access is restricted or spotty. Security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas at crowds protesting graft, nepotism and limited job prospects, resulting in at least 19 deaths and hundreds of injuries. After widespread unrest, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned and the social media ban was lifted. Many activists plan to keep Bitchat as a backup tool to resist future shutdowns. This surge underscores a growing global demand for decentralized messaging solutions amid rising censorship concerns.