BitChat uses room-based architecture inspired by IRC, where group chats are labeled with hashtags and can include optional password protection.

Quotes that support claims

The “Bluetooth mesh chat” system has “IRC [Internet Relay Chat] vibes,” Dorsey added, harking back to the early days of web-based messaging systems in the late 1990s.

In the white paper published by Dorsey, it is apparent that the system has integrated Internet Relay Chat features, which make it a room-based chat with group chats named with hashtags and optional password protection.