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Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter who donated $1 billion in 2020 to combat COVID-19 and discreetly visited Cuba in 2018, has just launched an app that could become a key tool for Cubans seeking to communicate outside of state control: Bitchat, a messaging app that does not require internet, servers, or a phone number to operate.
The announcement comes days after the entry into force on the island of the Resolution 9/2025, a regulation that grants the Cuban regime the ability to shut down websites and publications without prior notice if it deems that they "severely violate socialist principles."
Bitchat is a peer-to-peer messaging system that operates through Bluetooth networks between nearby devices, without going through servers, without collecting data, and with ephemeral and encrypted messages, as described by NBC News.
Additionally, it allows password-protected group chats, and future versions will incorporate WiFi Direct, which will expand its range and speed. An idea that resonates strongly in Cuba, where digital surveillance, network outages, and repression of independent journalism are part of daily life.
How could Bitchat work in Cuba?
In scenarios where access to mobile data is blocked, such as during the July 11, 2021 events or in protests like those in Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo in March 2024, Bitchat would allow individuals in the same geographic area to exchange messages without external connectivity.
As users move around, devices can connect with nearby nodes, extending the Bluetooth network and acting as a bridge between groups even when not everyone is directly connected. This opens up the possibility of maintaining some communication in hostile environments or under total censorship.
Similar applications were successfully used during the protests in Hong Kong in 2019, where protesters managed to evade the censorship of the Chinese regime and coordinate without internet access, highlighting the potential usefulness of Bitchat in authoritarian contexts like Cuba.
Meanwhile, on the island, the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel strengthens its legal arsenal against freedom of expression. Resolution 9/2025 allows for the closure of sites without prior notification, imposes harsher penalties on those who continue to publish, and requires hosting providers to work only with officially registered media, effectively excluding almost all independent press in Cuba.
In addition, it demands control over the funding sources of the media, another attempt to stifle projects that operate outside of the state apparatus.
The regime does not hide its intention to "organize" the information ecosystem. But as many Cubans well remember, that same verb was used in the Context of the Ordering Task, which led to an economic and social collapse from which the country is still struggling to recover.
Jack Dorsey: philanthropist, advocate for decentralization, and visitor to Cuba
Jack Dorsey is no stranger to the issues shaking the island. In 2018, he shared images taken in Cuba—classic cars, murals, facades—and although he did not appear in any of them, his message "From Cuba" accompanied by a Cuban flag sparked controversy. Some accused him of ignoring the repression, while others saw his visit as a genuine interest in understanding the impact of limited connectivity on the island.
Two years later, in the midst of the pandemic, he donated 28% of his personal fortune to combat COVID-19 and support causes such as girls' education and universal basic income. His new app, Bitchat, appears to be the logical continuation of his vision: a technology that empowers, protects privacy, and stands against censorship.
For a citizenry that has experienced blocked platforms, detained influencers, and censored independent media, an application like Bitchat could make a significant difference, particularly in scenarios of protest, blackouts, or repression.
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