Naypyidaw, Myanmar (CU)_ The offline messaging app Bridgefy was downloaded more than 600,000 times in a couple of hours in Myanmar after the country’s military seized power on Monday and halted internet traffic temporarily. Bridgefy, the Mexican-based startup, which gained attention during the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2020, took to Twitter to say that it hoped that Myanmar’s citizens would find its software “useful during tough times.”
It tweeted, “we’re grateful to share that the Bridgefy App was downloaded more than 600,000 times in #Myanmar today, in just a few hours. Hopefully, people will find it helpful during tough times. Please stay safe!”.
After the arrest of democratically elected leaders in the region, phone and internet links in the main city Yangon and the capital Naypyidaw and several other parts of the country were interrupted. However, communications were resumed by late Monday. But activists in Myanmar urged the download of offline messaging app Bridgefy as a temporary solution. Bridgefy is an offline app that allows communication with friends and family when there is no access to internet.
Bridgefy is one of the Bluetooth-based applications that utilize mesh networks which permit users to communicate without internet connections. The supporters of Bridgefy include Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, and the app has also been used at anti-government protests in Thailand. Bridgefy has gained global recognition specifically in countries that have a history of enforcing restrictions on social media sites and internet providers, while security experts warn they can be penetrated, exposing users to surveillance risks. In the demonstrations in Iran and Iraq, a similar app named Firechat was used.
