India’s government has directed Microsoft-owned GitHub to take down BitChat, a Bluetooth-based messaging platform, in a move that has drawn attention to the use of Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. The order was reportedly issued on July 23 by the home ministry’s cybercrime arm.
According to the available details, officials justified the action by pointing to the app’s potential for misuse. The removal came at a time of heightened protests, which has added to the controversy around the decision and its timing.
Critics argue that the BitChat takedown goes beyond a routine content moderation step and instead raises wider concerns about intermediary liability and government authority over online platforms. Much of the debate is centered on whether Section 79 powers are being applied too broadly when authorities seek rapid restrictions on digital tools.
The case has also put GitHub in the spotlight because the platform often hosts code and software projects rather than consumer-facing social content. That has intensified scrutiny of how Indian authorities interpret takedown rules when software repositories, communication tools, and public order concerns intersect.
