Bitchat Surges in Madagascar Amid Protests as Citizens Seek Censorship-Resistant Communication

Jack Dorsey's decentralized messaging app Bitchat has seen explosive growth in Madagascar during violent protests over water and electricity shortages. The app, which operates without internet infrastructure using Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networks, allows encrypted messages to hop between devices within 30-meter ranges—making it a vital tool for protesters seeking alternatives to government-controlled communications.

Google Trends data reveals searches for "Bitchat" spiking from zero to 100 in Antananarivo as demonstrations turned violent. Chrome-Stats reports over 21,000 downloads in the last day alone, with total downloads surpassing 365,000 since launch. The protests, fueled by severe poverty and infrastructure failures, saw crowds looting shopping malls and attacking homes of lawmakers aligned with President Andry Rajoelina.

Authorities responded with tear gas and imposed dusk-to-dawn curfews, but the unrest underscores a broader demand for decentralized solutions in regions with unstable governance. Bitchat's peer-to-peer architecture exemplifies how cryptocurrency-adjacent technologies can empower populations under oppressive regimes.