Keep Android Open

In August 2025, Google announced that starting next year, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google.

This registration will involve:

Paying a fee to Google
Agreeing to Google’s Terms and Conditions
Providing government identification
Uploading evidence of an app’s private signing key
Listing all current and future application identifiers

Some actions you can take to help oppose the enactment of this policy are:

European Union

Send feedback on EU Digital Fairness Act: EU Digital Fairness Act: Have Your Say

United States

Make a report to to US Department of Justice Antitrust Report Online and US Federal Trade Commission: Antitrust Complaint

United Kingdom

Make a report to the UK Competition & Markets Authority and petition the UK Parliament

Brazil

Reach out to Brazil’s Procon and Senacon

Other

Provide feedback directly to Google using their Android developer verification requirements survey.
Make your voice heard on social media and with blog posts.
Help this project out by editing this page with more useful information.

References

Overview

https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Android_Developer_Verification

Press Reactions

“Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register” — https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/
“Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google’s New Decree” — https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-f-droid-warns-google-developer-decree-open-source-android/
“Google’s New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid, Says Open-Source Advocate” — https://reclaimthenet.org/googles-android-id-rule-threatens-f-droids-future
“Google’s developer registration ‘decree’ means the end for alternative app stores” — https://cybernews.com/tech/googles-developer-registration-decree-end-alternative-app-stores/
“Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google’s New Policy” — https://www.datamation.com/open-source/android-apps-google-policy/
“Google’s new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores” — https://www.techspot.com/news/109728-google-confirms-new-android-rules-significantly-restrict-app.html
“Google’s Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid” — https://www.techdirt.com/2025/10/07/googles-requirement-for-all-android-developers-to-register-and-be-verified-threatens-to-close-down-open-source-app-store-f-droid/
“Google’s new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid’s future” — https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/09/30/googles-new-developer-rules-could-threaten-sideloading-and-f-droids-future/
“Google is restricting one of Android’s most important features, and users are outraged” — https://www.slashgear.com/1962802/google-restricting-important-android-feature-reason-why-users-outraged/
“Android’s sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet” - https://www.makeuseof.com/androids-sideloading-limits-are-anti-consumer-move-yet/
“Google’s dev registration plan ‘will end the F-Droid project’” — https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/29/googles_dev_registration_plan_will/
“F-Droid says Google’s new sideloading restrictions will kill the project” — https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/f-droid-calls-for-regulators-to-stop-googles-crackdown-on-sideloading/
“Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store” — https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/
“Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store” — https://www.theverge.com/news/765881/google-android-apps-side-loading-developer-verification
“Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading” — https://9to5google.com/2025/08/25/android-apps-developer-verification/
“Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google’s New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy” — https://news.itsfoss.com/new-android-sideloading-rules/

Video Responses

“Google: ‘Your $1000 phone needs our permission to install apps now’” — Louis Rossmann — https://youtu.be/QBEKlIV_70E
“F-Droid Will Die in 2026 Unless We Act Now — Techlore” — https://youtu.be/wRvqdLsnsKY
“Google is Removing Sideloading” — LMG Clips — https://youtu.be/-R76VJtTDJ8
“Google’s changes to sideloading could end F-Droid - Linux Weekly News” — https://youtu.be/iMqpm2Ahmt0
“Is F-Droid in Trouble? Google Developer Verification” — https://youtu.be/-SOOoQWv4kk
“Google is Applefying Android: The End of Openness” — ChiefGyk3D — https://youtu.be/WFOPzixHoLY

Editorials and Blogs

“F-Droid and Google’s Developer Registration Decree” — https://f-droid.org/en/2025/09/29/google-developer-registration-decree.html
“Pluralistic: Darth Android” — https://pluralistic.net/2025/09/01/fulu/
“Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom” — https://tuta.com/blog/android-side-load-apps-google

Discussions

Official Documentation

Initial announcement — https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html
Android developer verification: Guides — https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/android-developer-console#complete-identity
Android developer verification: Frequently asked questions — https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/faq
Introducing the Android Developer Console: A first look — https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/assets/pdfs/introducing-the-android-developer-console.pdf
Download an early look of the new Android Developer Console — https://support.google.com/android-developer-console/answer/16450960
API Documentation — https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/pm/PackageInstaller#DEVELOPER_VERIFICATION_FAILED_REASON_DEVELOPER_BLOCKED

Miscellaneous

Opposition recommendations