This new app lets you chat with no internet — and it’s from Twitter’s co-founder

Every so often, an app comes along that flips the script. Right now, that might be bitchat.

Jack Dorsey — the co-founder of Twitter — has launched a new messaging app called bitchat mesh, and it works in a completely different way than the apps we’re used to.

There’s no internet required. No servers. No accounts. No data collection.

Instead, bitchat uses Bluetooth to create a mesh network, where messages are encrypted and relayed through nearby phones. That means people in the same building — like students on campus, coworkers at the office, or neighbors during a power outage — can message each other just by turning on the app.

It’s a completely different approach to communication, and it could be especially useful in emergencies or areas with spotty service. Of course, the opportunities for harassment and abuse are also there.

Right now, bitchat mesh is only available for iOS, but an Android version is in the works.