- Jamaicans have quickly adopted the decentralized messaging app Bitchat during Hurricane Melissa due to disrupted internet access.
- Bitchat relies on Bluetooth mesh networks for encrypted communication without internet.
- The app is now the second-most downloaded in Jamaica, just behind the weather app Zoom Earth.
- Hurricane Melissa has caused over 30 deaths across the Caribbean and severe damage to infrastructure.
- Previously, Bitchat saw download increases in Nepal, Indonesia, and Madagascar amid internet shutdowns during protests.
As Hurricane Melissa continues to impact the Caribbean, including Jamaica, local users have rapidly downloaded the decentralized messaging app Bitchat. The app enables encrypted peer-to-peer communication using Bluetooth mesh networks, allowing messages to be sent without internet access. This technology provides a critical communication channel as internet coverage in the region remains unstable.
Currently, Bitchat ranks as the second-most downloaded app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play in Jamaica. It trails only behind Zoom Earth, a weather forecast platform, highlighting the urgent need for weather information and reliable communication among the island’s 2.8 million residents.
Reports indicate that Hurricane Melissa has led to more than 30 fatalities across the Caribbean, including at least 23 in Haiti, and has destroyed numerous homes and businesses. Until recently, decentralized messaging apps like Bitchat gained popularity mainly among users seeking alternatives to centralized platforms that might censor content. Now, such apps have become essential for populations experiencing internet disruptions caused by natural disasters or government actions.
In September, Bitchat downloads notably rose in Nepal after the government imposed a social media ban blocking Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube, triggering widespread protests. Similar increases occurred in Indonesia during protests and in Madagascar amid ongoing utility outages.
Separately, the European Union has debated a “Chat Control” law that would remove encrypted messaging protections. The proposal aims to detect child abuse material by requiring messaging apps such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to allow regulatory screening before encryption. However, Germany has opposed this on constitutional grounds, delaying the vote until early December.
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