Zemzeme is an open-source community project. No company. No VC funding. No agenda beyond making surveillance-free communication accessible to everyone.
In 2024, governments shut down internet access in 35+ countries. Platforms deplatform users. Cell towers fail during disasters. Activists are surveilled through the tools they use to organize.
Zemzeme exists because communication is a fundamental right, and that right shouldn't depend on a corporation's uptime, a government's permission, or a cell tower's range. We build tools that work even when the infrastructure doesn't.
Our approach is simple: no central servers, no accounts, and encryption that protects against everyone - including us.
Activists. Journalists. First responders. People in areas with poor connectivity. Anyone who needs private communication.
Every line of code is public. No proprietary components, no closed-source dependencies for core functionality. Fork it, audit it, build on it.
We will never require registration. Not a phone number, not an email, not a username. Your identity is a keypair on your device - nothing more.
There is no "unencrypted mode." Every message, in every transport layer, is end-to-end encrypted before it leaves your device. Always.
35+ languages, low-bandwidth modes, support for older Android devices, and a UI that works for people who aren't tech-savvy.
No corporate roadmap. Priorities are set by contributors, users, and the communities that depend on the tool. PRs welcome.
Security decisions, architecture choices, and known limitations are documented publicly. No security through obscurity.
Zemzeme wouldn't exist without these projects. We are deeply grateful to their contributors.
Zemzeme is a fork of Bitchat Android v1.7.0 by the Permissionless Tech community. Bitchat pioneered Bluetooth mesh messaging on Android and established the core architecture that Zemzeme builds on. Without their work, Zemzeme would not exist.
Bitchat's Bluetooth implementation, Noise Protocol integration, and relay transport are the heart of Zemzeme. We maintain full attribution and comply with the license terms.
libp2p is the modular peer-to-peer networking stack used in IPFS, Ethereum 2.0, Polkadot, and dozens of other projects. Zemzeme's direct connection layer is powered by libp2p for peer discovery, NAT traversal, and encrypted direct connections.
libp2p is developed by the Protocol Labs community and is licensed under MIT/Apache 2.0. Their work on decentralized networking infrastructure is foundational to a free and open internet.
The Nostr protocol provides an open, decentralized relay network for censorship-resistant communication. Zemzeme uses Nostr as its fourth transport layer - global reach without a central authority.
The Noise Protocol Framework provides the cryptographic handshake protocol used for all Zemzeme message encryption. The same framework protects WhatsApp, Wire, and Lightning Network payments.
Coordinate without leaving a metadata trail. Emergency wipe protects you if your device is seized. Bluetooth keeps communication alive even when the internet is shut down.
Communicate with sources without exposing either party's identity or location. No account means no subpoena target. Tor integration hides IP addresses from observers.
Coordinate rescue operations when cellular infrastructure is damaged. Bluetooth creates a communication network from the devices in your team's pockets.
No company knows who you talk to, when, or how often. No phone number linkage. Complete architecture transparency - you can verify every claim we make.
VPN-free operation. Censor-resistant online relay network. 35+ languages including Arabic, Persian, Chinese, and Russian. Works even during internet blackouts via Bluetooth.
Fully open source. Auditable Noise Protocol implementation. A practical testbed for Bluetooth networking, peer-to-peer transport, and decentralized protocol research.