Jack Dorsey / Social Media

# Jack Dorsey and Social Media

Early Influence: Founding Twitter

Jack Dorsey co-founded Twitter in 2006, fundamentally changing how people communicate online. As CEO (with interruptions), he shaped features emphasizing real-time updates and public discourse. After stepping down permanently, Dorsey expressed regret over Twitter becoming a centralized company rather than an open protocol.

Pivot to Decentralized Platforms

Post-Twitter, Dorsey funded and initially backed Bluesky, a decentralized social media project using the AT Protocol. However, he left the Bluesky board in 2024, citing concerns over moderation and centralization, and deleted his account. He shifted focus to the Nostr protocol, which emphasizes permissionless, open, and censorship-resistant social networking similar to Bitcoin's model.

Bitchat: Decentralized Messaging

In 2025, Dorsey launched and promoted Bitchat, an open-source decentralized messaging application featuring Bluetooth mesh networking for offline communication, Tor integration for privacy, geohash-based location chats via Nostr relays, no signups or servers, and ephemeral messages. Updates have included improved routing, audio/photos support, and security audits. [1] This positions Bitchat as an extension of his vision for uncensorable communication tools that complement decentralized social media.

Recent Developments

On April 5, 2026, Dorsey announced that Bitchat had been pulled from the China App Store, sharing an image of the removal notice and underscoring China's censorship of decentralized tools. [1] He has also tweeted praise for enduring simple technologies, calling Markdown's 20+ year success a "legendary run" with a link to its project page. [2] Additionally, he shared a link-only tweet directing to the movie Jesus Christ Superstar on Apple TV. [3]

Views on Censorship and Open Protocols

Dorsey frequently uses X to advocate for open algorithms, free speech, and tools resistant to corporate or state control. Bitchat's design allows communication even when the internet is restricted, making it relevant in protest scenarios. His March 2026 announcements at Block (layoffs tied to AI efficiency) reflect a broader interest in efficient, flatter tech organizations but are tangential to social media.