Keep Android Open

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In August 2025, Google announced ↗ that as of September 2026, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google. This registration will involve:

What this means for your rights

➤ You, the consumer, purchased your Android device believing in Google’s promise that it was an open computing platform and that you could run whatever software you choose on it. Instead, as of September 2026, they will be non-consensually pushing an update to your operating system that irrevocably blocks this right and leaves you at the mercy of their judgement over what software you are permitted to trust.

➤ You, the creator, can no longer develop an app and share it directly with your friends, family, and community without first seeking Google’s approval. The promise of Android — and a marketing advantage it has used to distinguish itself against the iPhone — has always been that it is “open”. But Google clearly feels that they have enough of a lock on the Android ecosystem, along with sufficient regulatory capture, that they can now jettison this principle with prejudice and impunity.

➤ You, the state, are ceding the rights of your citizens and your own digital sovereignty to a company with a track record of complying with the extrajudicial demands of authoritarian regimes to remove perfectly legal apps that they happen to dislike. The software that is critical to the running of your businesses and governments will be at the mercy of the opaque whims of a distant and unaccountable corporation.

Update: Google has not “backed down” from developer verification

Contrary to a vague mention ↗ of a possible “advanced flow” that may eventually allow “experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn’t verified”, Google’s description of the program ↗ continues to state plainly that:

Starting in September 2026, Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed on certified Android devices

Until such time that they have shown evidence that it will be possible to bypass the verification process without undue friction, we must believe what is stated on their official page: that all apps from non-registered developers will be blocked once their lock-down goes into effect.

How you can help

Developers: Resist and refuse

If you are an app developer, do not sign up for the early access program, perform identity verification, or accept an invitation to the Android Developer Console. Respond (politely) to any invitation with a list of your concerns and objections.

—— It is only through developer acquiescence and capitulation that their takeover plan can possibly succeed. ——

Discourage fellow app developers and organizations from signing up to the program. Use community forums, social media, and blog posts to spread the message. Include the FreeDroidWarn library ↗ in your code to inform your app users. If you manage a web site, consider adding the countdown banner to the top of your page.

If you are a Google employee or contractor of good conscience and have additional insight about the program, including planned technical implementation details or additional rationales for the program, please reach out to tips@keepandroidopen.org from a non-work machine and a non-gmail account. Your information will be kept in strict confidence.

Everyone: Make your voice heard

Web Site Owners: Show your support

Add the countdown banner to your site with a single <script> tag — no dependencies, 20 built-in localizations, fully customizable.

Consumers: Contact national regulators

Regulators worldwide are genuinely concerned about monopolies and the centralization of power in the tech sector, and want to hear directly from individuals who are affected and concerned. When contacting regulators directly, you should be polite and specific about the harm you believe these policies will cause, both to consumers and to competition.

Complaints are especially impactful when they are authored by a citizen of that country or region, and when the language of the email is written in one of the official languages of the region's governing body. Request a written acknowledgement of the complaint, and consider forwarding any responses you receive to victory@keepandroidopen.org so that we might highlight and reference them.

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