Protests against corruption erupted in Nepal, with 48,000 people flocking to Jack Dorsey's encryption communication to bypass censorship.

During the violent anti-corruption protests and brief social media blackout in Nepal, tens of thousands of people turned to BitChat, a decentralized encryption communication app launched by Jack Dorsey, to bypass government censorship. This application, based on a Bluetooth mesh network, allows encrypted message transmission without the need for the internet, becoming a crucial tool for protesters under information blockade.

Social Media Blockade Triggers Download Surge

(Source: callebtc)

According to data released by Bitcoin open-source developer callebtc, during the social media ban in Nepal, the download volume of BitChat surged from 3,344 times last Wednesday to 48,781 times on September 10, which is more than four times that of Indonesia, which ranked second with 11,324 times.

This protest led by Generation Z was triggered by the government's blocking of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube to prevent the spread of anti-government content. However, the blockade fueled public anger, and protesters set fire to the parliament and the Supreme Court, as well as stormed the government building where Prime Minister Oli was located.

Violent Suppression and Political Turbulence

Security forces suppressed with live ammunition and tear gas, resulting in at least 19 deaths and hundreds injured. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, embroiled in corruption allegations such as misappropriation of public funds and lack of transparency in decision-making, ultimately announced his resignation.

The events in Nepal are highly similar to the previous anti-corruption protests in Indonesia—during the nationwide demonstrations in Indonesia, the download volume of BitChat also surged, indicating the alternative role of encryption communication tools amidst political turmoil.

The "Anti-blockade" Advantage of Decentralized Communication

BitChat launched its beta version in July this year, utilizing Bluetooth mesh network technology, allowing communication without the need for central servers, accounts, phone numbers, or email, and ensuring privacy through end-to-end encryption.

This design allows it to remain usable in situations of internet blockades, disconnections, or high surveillance environments, and is regarded as one of the representatives of "freedom technologies." At the same time, other encryption communication applications such as Signal, Damus (based on Nostr), Session, and Status have also attracted users globally seeking alternatives to censorship.

Global Regulatory Shadows and Future Challenges

However, decentralized encryption communication still faces regulatory pressure. The EU is pushing for the controversial "chat control" bill, which requires services like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to conduct content screening before encrypting and sending messages. The bill has already garnered support from 15 member states, and Germany's vote will be crucial.

On the other hand, compared to the massive scale of 3.48 billion daily active users of Meta's Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, etc., the penetration rate of encrypted communication applications is still far behind. It will take time and user education to challenge the "walled gardens" of tech giants.

Conclusion

The violent protests in Nepal and the surge in BitChat downloads highlight the strategic value of decentralized encryption communication tools amid political turmoil and information blockade. As global regulation tightens and user demand for privacy increases, such applications may become an important weapon for citizens to combat censorship and protect information freedom in more countries.