Bitchat Usage Surges in Madagascar as Protests Over Water and Power Cuts Intensify Protests erupted in Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, last Thursday over ongoing water and power cuts, with demonstrations later spreading across the country. As citizens voiced their frustration over the deteriorating public services, a notable digital trend emerged. Reports indicate a significant spike in downloads and usage of the peer-to-peer messaging application Bitchat, a platform known for its focus on privacy and censorship resistance. The protests began peacefully but have since grown in scale and intensity. Residents of Antananarivo took to the streets to express their anger at the frequent and prolonged outages that have disrupted daily life and business operations. The situation quickly escalated as the demonstrations spread to other major cities, highlighting the widespread nature of the discontent. The government has cited technical failures and drought conditions affecting hydroelectric dams as the primary causes for the utility failures. In response to the civil unrest, observers noted a sharp increase in the adoption of the Bitchat app. The platform, which operates on a peer-to-peer network and does not rely on central servers, is designed to allow communication even during internet shutdowns or heavy censorship. This feature appears to have become critically important for protesters and citizens seeking to organize and share information securely. The surge in usage suggests a deliberate move by the population towards tools that offer greater privacy and are harder for authorities to monitor or block. This pattern is not entirely new. In various countries experiencing political turmoil or widespread protests, there is often a marked shift towards decentralized communication tools. Traditional social media platforms can be subject to government surveillance, throttling, or complete blackouts. Applications like Bitchat provide an alternative, enabling communication to continue with a lower risk of interception or identification of users. The spike in Madagascar underscores a growing global awareness and utilization of decentralized technologies during crises. The increased reliance on Bitchat points to a deeper issue of trust. When public infrastructure fails and civil unrest grows, confidence in traditional institutions, including communication channels, can erode. Citizens are proactively seeking out methods to protect their digital footprints and maintain open lines of dialogue. The move to peer-to-peer platforms is a practical response to the fear that their communications on conventional apps could be compromised or used against them. The situation in Madagascar remains fluid, with no immediate resolution to the power and water crises in sight. The government is facing mounting pressure to address both the utility failures and the public’s grievances. As the protests continue, the parallel digital migration to platforms like Bitchat illustrates a modern reality. It shows how technological tools are increasingly intertwined with civil society movements, providing a layer of resilience and autonomy for citizens navigating periods of instability and repression. The events highlight a critical function of cryptocurrency-adjacent technologies, not just for financial sovereignty but for preserving the fundamental right to communicate freely.
