India's Cybercrime Agency Orders GitHub to Remove Three BitChat Repositories; IFF Calls Move Unconstitutional

According to Internet Freedom Foundation, India's cybercrime agency ordered GitHub on Friday to remove three BitChat repositories within three hours, citing concerns the decentralized messaging app could be used to bypass internet shutdowns and evade surveillance.

IFF condemned the move as unconstitutional, arguing the order exceeded legal authority by being issued under Section 79(3)(b) of India's Information Technology Act rather than through the country's formal website-blocking process with procedural safeguards. The organization disputed the government's justification, noting the order targeted the app's decentralized design itself rather than identifying any unlawful content in the repositories.