Protests, Panic, and Bitchat: The App That Went Viral Faster than Tea in a Monastery!

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In a most extraordinary turn of events that could only be topped by an accidental encounter with a time-traveling tortoise, on September 4 in Kathmandu, a quaint little protest broke out. Not unlike a ball of yarn unraveling in the paws of an overly curious cat, it quickly morphed into a national frenzy, fueled by an alarming suspicion that perhaps, just perhaps, the government’s pockets were a tad too weighty. And then, out of sheer malice, a communication blackout descended, because who needs to talk when you can just sit in silence and stare at the wall? 🧱

Fast forward to September 8, and chaos had taken on a life of its own, turning peaceful demonstrations into a scene reminiscent of a particularly rowdy family reunion-complete with ransacked administrative buildings and fires that would put a dragon to shame. The capital city saw its own version of a pantomime, as Parliament was stormed with the enthusiasm usually reserved for the arrival of a much-anticipated dessert platter.

Police, blessed with a range of weapons and an appetite for drama, joined the fray. For two days, the air crackled with more excitement than a cat at an open fish market. Sadly, it seemed that a grand total of about 30 people found themselves on the wrong side of the chaotic fun, while over 1,000 others danced away with injuries that would surely earn them a spot in the next best storytelling competition.

As the dust settled (that is, after everyone had thoroughly ruined their Sunday best), Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli waddled away in resignation, perhaps realizing that dodging corruption accusations was a game meant for more sprightly folk. Almost as if summoned by a magic spell, the government decided it was time to lift the ban on social media, and the army announced that yes, they too, could engage in good old-fashioned chit-chat. 🎉

!!!Bitchat Goes Bananas in Downloads!!!

During the blackout, a not-so-quiet rebellion brewed as the youth turned to Bitchat-an app as revolutionary as the invention of the wheel, if the wheel were made of silicone and allowed you to gossip without a data plan. Using Bluetooth mesh technology (which sounds far fancier than it actually is), each phone became a tiny node in a grand network of teenage intrigue, passing messages like secrets among gossiping grandmothers.

Messages were as encrypted as a dragon’s treasure hoard, meaning only the message sender and recipient were privy to its contents. No phone numbers, no accounts, no servers! Just pure, unadulterated freedom is what Bitchat promised. And for those moments when the walls feel a bit too close, the app graciously offers a “panic mode,” capable of erasing all data faster than you can say “Oops, that was a mistake!”

Downloads in Nepal? Oh, just a casual jump from 3,300 the week prior to a whopping 49,000 on September 8, as if the app had become the latest style of sock among the youth-utterly essential!

“You wouldn’t believe our downloads spiked last week in Indonesia with their little protest, and now we’re witnessing an even greater surge from Nepal for their lovely little government kerfuffle,” shared calle, one of the app’s creators, on September 10. Isn’t technology just delightful? 🍵

“Last week, we observed a sudden spike in Bitchat downloads from Indonesia during nationwide protests.

Today we’re seeing an even bigger spike from Nepal amid youth protests over government corruption and a social media ban.

Freedom tech is for the people. Please share.”

– calle (@callebtc) September 10, 2025

But wait! Nepal isn’t the only land where Bitchat has woven its digital threads. Across the sea in Indonesia, over 11,000 downloads danced into existence on September 3 amidst their own protests about lawmakers’ extravagances. Over in Russia, the United States, and India, the downloads were rising like bread at a bakery on a Sunday morning. Calle merely chuckled, hailing this software as “freedom tech,” crafted to help the commoner remain connected while governments play peek-a-boo with normal communication.

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2025-09-11 23:38