Decentralized Apps Rise in Madagascar as Protests and Internet Shutdowns Drive Demand for Offline Communication

Bitchat, the decentralized messaging app developed by Jack Dorsey, has experienced a significant surge in downloads in Madagascar amid ongoing protests over water and electricity shortages. The app’s popularity, highlighted by Google Trends data showing a spike from 0 to 100 in search popularity on Friday (over a 90-day period), coincides with widespread demonstrations in the capital, Antananarivo, and across the country. Chrome-Stats reported 365,307 total downloads since its July launch, with 21,000 downloads recorded in the last 24 hours alone and over 71,000 in the past week. The app’s decentralized, Bluetooth-based architecture allows users to communicate without internet access or centralized infrastructure, making it a critical tool during internet disruptions Protests in Madagascar Spark Sharp Rise in Bitchat App Usage^[1].

The protests, which began last Thursday, escalated following clashes between demonstrators and police over prolonged utility cuts. Authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to quell unrest, but the energy minister was sacked in response to public pressure. Bitchat’s design—requiring no accounts, phone numbers, or internet connectivity—has enabled users to coordinate despite restrictions. The app’s open-source developer, callebtc, noted the surge in Madagascar follows similar spikes in Nepal and Indonesia during recent protests, where social media bans and internet shutdowns forced citizens to seek alternative communication methods Protests in Madagascar Spark Sharp Rise in Bitchat App Usage^[1].

In Nepal, Bitchat downloads surged from 3,300 to over 48,781 in a week after the government blocked 26 social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp. The app became a primary tool for organizing protests against government corruption and a social media ban, which led to at least 34 deaths and the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. In Indonesia, 11,324 downloads were recorded during nationwide protests over excessive parliamentary allowances, with users leveraging Bitchat to bypass surveillance and censorship BitChat kept communication flowing during protests in Indonesia and Nepal^[3]. These trends underscore the app’s role as a decentralized alternative in environments where centralized platforms are restricted .

Madagascar’s low internet penetration—only 6.6 million of its 32 million residents had access at the start of 2025—highlights the demand for offline communication tools. Despite 18 million mobile connections, many rely on voice and SMS services. Bitchat’s Bluetooth mesh network allows peer-to-peer messaging within a 300-meter radius, enabling users to share information even without internet. This functionality is particularly valuable in Madagascar, where internet access is uneven and often disrupted during political instability Protests in Madagascar Spark Sharp Rise in Bitchat App Usage^[1].

The app’s adoption reflects a broader shift toward privacy-focused technologies in response to state surveillance and censorship. Decentralized apps like Bitchat offer autonomy in contexts where trust in centralized systems is eroded. However, the EU’s proposed “Chat Control” law, which seeks to mandate pre-encryption message scanning, has raised concerns about the future of such tools. Critics warn that weakening encryption could push users toward Web3 platforms, but the law’s current support from 15 EU countries remains below the required 65% population threshold for passage Protests in Madagascar Spark Sharp Rise in Bitchat App Usage^[1].