Your phone is about to stop being yours.
Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.
Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.
↓What Google is doing
In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting September 2026, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.
Registration requires:
- Paying a fee to Google
- Agreeing to Google's Terms and Conditions
- Surrendering your government-issued identification
- Providing evidence of your private signing key
- Listing all current and all future application identifiers
If a developer does not comply, their apps get silently blocked on every Android device worldwide.
Who this hurts
You
You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was open. You could install what you wanted, and that was the deal.
Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you already own. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for.
Independent developers
A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. After September 2026, none of these can be installed without Google's blessing.
F-Droid, home to thousands of free and open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat. Cory Doctorow calls it "Darth Android".
Governments & civil society
Google has a documented track record of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.
The EFF calls app gatekeeping "an ever-expanding pathway to internet censorship."
Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door
Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:
- Delve into System Settings, find Developer Options
- Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
- Dismiss scare screens about coercion
- Enter your PIN
- Restart the device
- Wait 24 hours
- Come back, dismiss more scare screens
- Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
- Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"
Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.
Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed. And as of today, it hasn't shipped in any beta, preview, or canary build. It exists only as a blog post and some mockups.
This is bigger than Android
If Google can retroactively lock down billions of devices that were sold as open platforms, every hardware manufacturer on the planet is watching.
The principle being established: the company that made your device gets to decide, after you've bought it, what software you're allowed to run. In software, this is called a "rug pull"; but at least you could always install competing software. In hardware, it is a fait accompli that strips you of your agency and renders you powerless to the whims of a single unaccountable gatekeeper and convicted monopolist.
Android's openness was never just a feature. It was the promise that distinguished it from iPhone. Millions chose Android for exactly that reason. Google is now revoking that promise unilaterally, on devices already in people's pockets, because they've decided they have enough market dominance and regulatory capture to get away with it.
Ars Technica: "Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy."
But wait, isn't this...
"...just about security?"
The security rationale is a smokescreen. Google Play Protect already scans for malware independent of developer identity. Requiring a government ID doesn't make code safer. It makes developers identifiable and controllable. Malware authors can register. Indie developers and dissidents often can't. The EFF is blunt: identity-based gatekeeping is a censorship tool, not a security one.
"...still sideloading if you use the advanced flow?"
Nine steps, 24-hour wait, buried in Developer Options, delivered through a proprietary service that Google can revoke whenever they want. That's not sideloading. That's a deterrence mechanism built to ensure almost nobody completes it. And since it runs through Play Services rather than the OS, Google can tighten or kill it silently.
"...only a problem if you have something to hide?"
Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists under authoritarian governments will be the first victims. People in domestic abuse situations are next. All these groups have legitimate reasons to distribute or use software without putting their legal identity in a Google database. Anonymous open-source contribution is a tradition older than Google itself. This policy ends it on Android.
"...the same thing Apple does?"
Apple has been a walled garden from day one. People chose Android because it was different. "Apple does it too" is a race to the bottom and a weak tu quoque argument. And under regulatory pressure (the EU's Digital Markets Act), even Apple is being forced to open up. Google is moving in the opposite direction: attempting to further entrench its gatekeeping status.
"...just $25 and some paperwork?"
Maybe, if you're a developer in the US with a credit card and a driver's license. Try being a student in sub-Saharan Africa, or a dissident in Myanmar, or a volunteer maintaining a community health app. The cost isn't only financial: you're surrendering government ID and evidence of your signing keys to a company that routinely complies with government demands to remove apps and expose developers.
Fight back
Everyone
- Install F-Droid on every Android device you own. Alternative stores only survive if people actually use them.
- Contact your 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.
- Share this page. Link to keepandroidopen.org everywhere.
- Push back on astroturfers. The "well, actually..." crowd is out in force. Don't let them set the narrative.
- Sign the change.org petition and join the over 100,000 signatories who have made their voices heard.
- Read and share our open letter
- Tell Google what you think of this through their own developer verification survey (for all the good that will do).
Developers
Do not sign up. Don't join the program by signing up for the Android Developer Console and agreeing to their irrevocable Terms and Conditions. Don't verify your identity. Don't play ball.
Google's plan only works if developers comply. Don't.
- Talk other developers and organizations out of signing up.
- Add the FreeDroidWarn library to your apps to warn users.
- Run a website? Add the countdown banner.
Google employees
If you know something about the program's technical implementation or internal rationale, contact tips@keepandroidopen.org from a non-work machine and a non-Gmail account. Strict confidence guaranteed.
All those opposed…
69 organizations from 21 countries have signed the open letter
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
April april.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
GitHub Store github-store.org
iodé iode.tech
Proton AG proton.me
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
F-Droid f-droid.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
FUTO futo.org
Unified Push unifiedpush.org
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
Techlore techlore.tech
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
Brave brave.com What they're saying
Tech press
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
Editorials & analysis
"Once there is no such thing as 'sideloading', there's virtually no difference between iOS and Android. I see no reason to buy Android over iOS at this point."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours. Google decides which apps are allowed to be loaded on Android and which are not."
Tuta Blog
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"This is not about protecting users. This is about control. This is about Google cutting out the last remaining artery of independence in Android."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"Google's attempts to make Android 'more secure' are, in fact, increasing the risk for Android users. The more friction you introduce in the name of security, the more likely users will attempt to bypass security completely."
Ken Buckler, Enterprise Management Associates
"The proposed Android Developer Verification program isn't a security update; it's a kill switch for the open ecosystem."
Hillary Keverenge, Tech-ish Kenya
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Sideloading, a longstanding pillar of Android's openness, is now being marginalized, placing the Android platform closer to the walled-garden approach of Apple's iOS."
Purism
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"Android is not open anymore. It's not an alternative. It's not even trying. It's iOS with ads and spyware bolted on."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"Google isn't certifying apps, they're certifying developers. This implies that the company can somehow predict whether a developer will do something malicious in the future."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Innovation may be the biggest casualty in all of this. This new rule erodes your right to make informed decisions about your own devices."
MakeUseOf
"Google's story that this move is motivated by security is obviously bullshit. The idea that Google can improve Android's safety by certifying developers, rather than code, is obvious bullshit."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Although Google's claim is that this is for 'security', it does not prevent the regular practice of scammers buying up existing verified developer accounts."
Maya Posch, Hackaday
"The $25 isn't the real cost. The chilling effect is. Submitting government ID to Google is a non-starter for pseudonymous contributors and privacy researchers."
Arafat Alim, DEV Community
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"This policy represents a dramatic departure from Android's decades-old tradition of openness, in which developers could build and share apps freely without first submitting to a centralized authority."
Biometric Update
"Google has announced that they are altering the deal. And telling us that we should pray that they don't alter it further. Block this policy change now before they wrap their cold metal hands around our necks."
Jesse Wilson, PublicObject.com
"Destroying F-Droid isn't some 'oops.' It's the mission. It's Google finally cutting the last remaining escape route and locking every single user inside their store."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google has announced what can only be described as a death blow to the open ecosystem that made Android. Under the guise of 'security,' Google is implementing draconian developer verification requirements."
AndroidSage
"Google is turning sideloading from a right into a permission slip, and the open-source community has until September to convince it otherwise."
Reclaim The Net
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"There is also the very real possibility that Google will leak your identity with the result that any apps with political implications could result in persecution and worse."
I-Programmer
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
Organizations & open letters
"When you set up a gate, you invite authorities to use it to block things they don't like. And when you build a database, you invite governments to try to get access."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"A centralized global registration system for Android will inevitably chill this work. Those communities are likely to drop out of developing for Android altogether."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"This is a profound change, one that shatters the entire premise of the Android ecosystem, long regarded as the antithesis of the closed Apple ecosystem."
AdGuard
"This invasion of privacy of developers is not just an overreach of Google's authority over Android, but also jeopardizes developer safety."
Software Freedom Conservancy
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"Developers who build privacy-first browsers, encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, Tor-based software or tools for journalists and activists would be required to upload government ID to Google. These developers are unlikely to trust Google and might stop developing for Android."
Brave
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"Changes would impose barriers to entry for individual developers, small teams and volunteer projects by imposing fees, identity checks and terms that may not align with the principles of an open ecosystem."
Infosecurity Magazine
"Developers who choose not to use Google's services should not be forced to register with, and submit to the judgement of, Google."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Google will cut off independent developers to Android if they do not register with Google first. This will kill independent platforms like F-Droid and severely impede FLOSS devs from creating apps for Android."
KDE
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."
AdGuard
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"Google's abusive approach to the Android operating system has only gotten worse in recent years. Software freedom is sorely lacking in the 'computers in our pockets' we call cell phones."
Free Software Foundation
"There are governments who might very much like to know the names of the developers of those applications so that they can go after them."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."
Brave
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"Google's developer verification policy creates a centralized database, controlled by a single corporation, containing the real-world identity of every person who writes software for Android."
Brave
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"If it were to be put into effect, the developer registration decree will end the F-Droid project and other free/open source app distribution sources as we know them today."
F-Droid
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
YouTubers & creators
"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."
The Linux Experiment – YouTube
"Google keeps getting in as much trouble as Apple when Google is half evil and Apple is full evil. So there are probably people inside Google saying, 'Why not just go full evil?'"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals
"The fact of the matter is, this is my device. I paid a lot of money for it. I should be able to do with it what I want."
Switched to Linux – YouTube
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube
"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."
Techlore – YouTube
"This has obvious problems for non-Google operating systems like iodeOS, LineageOS, or BraxOS. Google Android will 'check in' with Google to verify the identity of the app and to validate the operating system."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google is doing to Android what Microsoft once tried to do to the web. Embrace, extend, extinguish. Just wrapped in a shinier open-source package."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"I'm not using the word 'phone.' I'm using the word 'computer.' This has over 8 GB of RAM, a terabyte of storage. It's a computer. And I'm also not going to be using words like 'sideload.' When you download an exe file onto your Windows computer, you've installed an application. You haven't 'sideloaded' something."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."
Techlore – YouTube
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."
Techlore – YouTube
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google is setting a requirement that only they can fulfill, forcing developers to go through Google and killing off thousands of apps. Countless users stranded."
Techlore – YouTube
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"Google isn't testing this in the US or Europe first. They're starting in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Why? Because these are massive growth markets where regulation is weaker. By the time regulators catch up, the damage will already be done."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"This represents the last real safe place for free and open-source software in the entire mobile ecosystem. Once it's gone, it's gone. And we're going to spend the next decade trying to claw it back."
Techlore – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"Follow the money. Google makes money when apps are downloaded from its store. Google has completely forgotten about its earlier company motto: Don't be evil."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
Developers & community
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News
"It is a disgrace how Google has managed this situation. The promised 'advanced flow' hasn't appeared in any Android 16 or 17 betas. Google is quietly proceeding with the original lockdown."
fermigier, Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"I teach digital literacy and 99% of unsavory software I encounter on people's phones come from the Play Store or App Store. I will believe they're serious about protecting users when I see them do something about the crap ton of borderline scam apps infesting their stores."
1995ToyotaCorolla, Lemmy
"You are essentially a child to them. The difference is society has decided not to step in to protect you from your abusive parents."
globular-toast, Hacker News
"This is a war on users that want to keep control of their phones and when it's done, you will not be able to escape the enshittification."
ikidd, Lemmy
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"I buy a device with my own money, which I supposedly then own, but then I need to ask some corporation permission to use it."
askonomm, Hacker News
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"After 15 years of professional development on Android I too am now thinking about switching my focus to something different. And it sucks."
MrDresden, Hacker News
"The fundamental problem is that we are relying on the good graces of Google to keep Android open, despite the fact that it often runs contrary to their goals as a $4T for-profit behemoth. The 'don't be evil' days are very far behind us."
paxys, Hacker News
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"If your country is ever in the crosshairs of 'American interests' and bears the brunt of its sanctions, it is possible that you cannot install apps from your fellow citizens. Your own local government, bank, and store apps."
devsda, Hacker News
"If the likes of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and others have their way, you will not own your computer; those companies will effectively own your computers."
RUs1729, Slashdot
"Google has no right to be my parent. As long as I can't reject paternalism, I don't believe for a second this is done with the well-being of scam victims as the main priority."
gspr, Lobsters
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"I want to deploy apps on my device. They are my apps, it's my device, and I should not be required to ask for permission to do so."
fsniper, Hacker News
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News
"Antitrust action is badly needed. It is ridiculous that I need permission from my device manufacturer to install software on hardware I own."
jim201, Hacker News
"Requiring a government ID to distribute software. Holy shit. If you are a kid and want to create a game for your friends, you better get that birth certificate ready!"
llitz, Reddit
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"Google's own Play Store had over 600 million malware downloads. They keep talking about 'security' but their own store is crawling with fake apps and straight up malware while actual useful stuff gets buried or rejected."
Historical-Employ129 (324 upvotes), Reddit
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Whatever Google is doing kind of scares me. We have a big DIY community of diabetics in Germany running tools like AndroidAPS that cannot ever be distributed through official channels."
pimeys (Type 1 diabetic, DIY medical software), Lobsters
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"Making it harder makes it harder to treat ourselves. Software like AndroidAPS is unique. It's hard to find or very expensive and inferior in the proprietary market."
pimeys (diabetic user on life-critical medical software), Lobsters
"Anyone else thinking this looks like a precursor to banning Signal and similar? 1) Put Google in control of what you can install. 2) Get Google to block it."
harry8, Hacker News
"Can't come at a worse time. People are just learning to make things through vibe coding, and they're gonna want to put their own apps on their phones. And now Google says no."
Serinus, Lemmy
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."
renshijian, Hacker News
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"There's an entire genre of scamming where the scammers spend months building rapport with their victims before cashing out. One day is nothing."
free_bip (on the 24-hour wait defeating scammers), Hacker News
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won't give you a key, they're not doing it for your benefit."
vord (quoting Cory Doctorow), Tildes
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"Years ago, I wondered how Google would try to get away with locking down Android and shutting the cage door after capturing such a large dependent user base. Now I see how they are trying to get away with it."
chaznabin, Reddit
"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."
specproc, Hacker News
"My Pixel 6 just broke, and after 15 years of using Android, I've finally been convinced to move to iOS. If I must live in a walled garden, I suppose I'll choose the one with nicer flowers."
yonato, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"Don't beg. Don't get in a position that freedoms depend on the whims of a corporation or willingness of a government to regulate them. Build."
jzb, Lobsters
"I hate this so much. More and more I get the feeling I have no control over the devices I own. My fear is that Windows will eventually follow. For security reasons of course. It's the path we're on now."
cheesyvoetjes, Reddit
"If I go down this path, I will stop all development on Android. I implore all other developers to resist this. This will completely lock down the platform forever, there will be no going back."
BatteryMountain, Hacker News
"If Android's sandbox and permission systems actually worked, then the mere act of installing an app from an arbitrary source would be as harmless as visiting an arbitrary website."
mwcampbell, Lobsters
"Google selling Android as both open source and open to running any software you like in order to quickly gain market share, only to break those promises after driving competing platforms out of the market is nothing more than fraud."
GeekyBear, Hacker News
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Computing is infrastructure. Personal computers are a means of expressing agency. This is like banning people from moving furniture around their house without approval from mortgage lenders."
wervenyt, Tildes
"Twice I have had to deal with Google silently disabling my drone app to the point I had to buy an older phone to perform work. When I purchase a device that works with another device, under no circumstances should I be at the mercy of any updates they make."
cbrophoto (drone professional), Reddit
Voices from the petition
"make android good again "
Samuel, change.org
"Anyone from brazil here? "
Luis, change.org
"Android livre! "
Wanderson, change.org
"This is a de facto monopolization strategy and must not be allowed. Censorship and data harvesting are already proliferating, this will make those issues worse. "
Michel, change.org
"it's crazy that they're doing this . It was the only reason i chose "google" android in the 1st place, because of it's semi open nature "
jamie, change.org
"What made Android unique was that you could download and side-load apps. It's what made Android different from iOS, and it's why I preferred Android. This isn't "protecting" anyone, and Google is almost always on the side of profit over consumers. "
Tyler, change.org
"Users don't deserve the Google jail cell to shrink and encroach any further "
Ben, change.org
"Google, you are tearing down the very empire you built through the Android system. I hope that before 2026 you Google team resolve this, otherwise I will opt for an iPhone. "
Alan, change.org
"This is about Freedom! I want to be in control of what apps I install on my phone! And How I install them! I choose freedom! Do Not block or limit my freedom under the the guise of helping me according to your beliefs! "
Henry, change.org
"These proposed restrictions by Google are a threat to personal digital autonomy and to app development. "
Daniel, change.org
"Google is a monopoly at this point, break it up. "
Barton, change.org
"Google’s strength has always come from the openness of the Android ecosystem. At its core, Android is built on the philosophy of open source—freedom, flexibility, and user control. Limiting APK file usage directly contradicts that foundation. The ability to install applications from any source is not a flaw in the system; it is one of its defining advantages. It empowers developers to distribute their work independently, allows users to maintain control over their own devices, and fosters innovation outside of centralized gatekeeping. Removing or restricting this capability undermines the very principles that made Android successful in the first place. Open source is not just about access to code. it is about freedom of choice. When users and developers can no longer decide how and where software is installed, the platform shifts away from openness toward control. That change does not simply affect APK files; it reshapes the entire identity of the ecosystem. Developers rely on this openness to experiment, distribute, and build without unnecessary barriers. Many tools, apps, and communities exist specifically because Android allows installation outside of a single controlled marketplace. Restricting APK usage risks alienating the very developers who contribute to the platform’s growth and diversity. It is also important to recognize that users expect a level of ownership over their devices. When someone purchases a device, they expect to decide what software runs on it. Limiting APK installation sends the message that users do not fully control their own hardware, which can erode trust. Policies that restrict openness often face strong resistance because they conflict with the expectations that have been established over time. The Android ecosystem grew precisely because it was different; because it allowed freedom where others imposed limits. Moving away from that principle risks not only developer dissatisfaction but also a loss of identity. Maintaining support for APK installation is not just a technical decision; it is a commitment to the philosophy that built the platform. Preserving that openness ensures continued innovation, trust, and engagement from both developers and users. If Android is to remain true to its roots, it must continue to support the freedom that defines open source: freedom to build, freedom to distribute, and freedom to choose. "
Matthew, change.org
"One of the biggest things, if not the biggest thing, Android has had over Apple for the longest time is the freedom of the user to make the phone theirs through downloading third party apps, through developers making their own applications without being required to release it through an app store that requires a fee to put it on. My own personal experience has been that I could play one of my favorite games that's no longer on the app store. With these new restrictions and requirements Google is proposing in September, we would lose that freedom, and would become no better than Apple "
Morgan, change.org
"Hasn't Google monopolized enough? Let us have a right to our data, identity security, and development. "
Taylor, change.org
"I like an open source because we're not stuck to when we might not. It about prefence. I have never used iOS but this might change my mind. I will look for an alternative to android if this takes place. "
Leoncio, change.org
"Google has shown a lack of respect for user privacy their entire existence. You own your device, you spent hundreds of dollars/Euros for it. It was not a loan by Google, it is yours, and you should control what you use it for. People who want to use only Google verified apps are free to do so without having to infringe on the rights of the people knowledgeable enough to make the decision to use apps from outside Google's Play store. Google and others have long criticized Apple for this exact thing, to the point that they're in a lawsuit for it. For Google to try this shows a complete lack of respect for the customer, a lack of integrity, and complete and utter hypocrisy. If I want to make a personal app to control a toy I made and programmed, why should I have to give Google my personal information, jump through extra hoops, give them my code, and PAY them for the privilege of doing my own work? It's ridiculous. It's pure corporate greed. More than that, it's an attempt from Google to control your device. Yet another avenue for censorship, surveillance, and the road towards a world without any freedom, all under the guise of "safety." This is not just an attack on you and your device. This is an attack on your freedom as an individual and your right to your privacy and choice. This shouldn't just be a petition, this needs to be nonnegotiable. "
Paul, change.org
"We own the phones so we should be able to do whatever we want with them. Waiting a short period is not the way to do it. This feels like control and blocks. We are not kids. Please let us actually have control of our phones. "
nicholas, change.org
"Keep android free and open or a lot of people will revolt. Developers and users alike. Don't be horrible. Keep it open. "
Gregory, change.org
"Android is betraying it's one purpose, the "don't be evil" "
M, change.org
"Android having access to custom software is a main thing that separates it from iOS. Don't destroy this amazing feature. "
Henry, change.org
"If I wanted a phone that decided what I can and can't do I would have bought an iPhone. "
Tom, change.org
"Don't trust billionare companies, they want to take away our choice! "
Hugo, change.org
"This is outright stupid on Andriods desicion making "
Madeline, change.org
"There are Chinese individuals abroad who sideload Chinese app stores and Chinese apps on their non-Chinese Android phones to use those services. Chinese developers are very unlikely to verify with Google. This is a racist update from Google which will inadvertently single out Chinese individuals as well. "
Sunny, change.org
"I use apk's for work don't ban apk "
Binyomin, change.org
"Google has always been the biggest hypocrite in the technology space. From stealing people's ideas to just buying them up. And ruining the experience. When I first fell in love with Android, it was because it was an open source platform that I could do as I pleased. I could extract the ROM and customize it to my liking. Now there is no semblance of customizability besides the walls of Jericho that Google has put. We must tear down these walls like the Berlin Wall and watch it burn because again Android was supposed to be for the people by the people not what iPhone or Apple is. Money hungry conglomerate corporate insatiable bastards. "
Adam, change.org
"One of the main reasons people even use Android is because it grants them a choice and freedom as a consumer to choose the software they use on their phones. By demanding that any other app or software made by a third party has to register with Google, provide private and information including their government IDs AND pay a FEE to Google for the privilege of developing an open source application... Google is essentially just creating a censorship tool and the beginning of a monopoly over any and all android software, just with extra steps. Proceeding with this will hurt both the reputation of Android and Google even more than has already been done this past year. "
Rhiannon, change.org
"The whole reason Android is superior to other os is because its an open platform. If you change what makes it great....then its no longer great. Its a copy cat IOS falling in line with everyone else and no longer blazing its own path. "
Michael, change.org
"Phone operating systems already have a precident of being locked down, and locking down android tightens the restrictions and paves the way for less freedom. We need to take a stand and refuse to let Google take control away from us. "
Joey, change.org
"I've been an user of Android based phones for a very long time. I am fully against the idea of this move Google is trying, as it is just another notch in the attempted censorship and surveillance of the internet as a whole. If this move is allowed to go through, I will find workarounds or work towards getting a third party phone deal where I don't have to deal with this. These big tech companies should not have the authority to force us to bend to them. We have the power to make them back down. Let our voice be heard. Boycott these companies and make them lose money. The moment their financial gains are threatened, they will surrender. "
Brandon, change.org
"Intelectual property is a disgrace! If what Google is trying to do is normalized it will eventually reach other OSes and it could kill game preservation via emulation. Not only that, they are also trying to normalize putting ridiculous restrictions to the freedom of the developers which could eventually kill open-source or at least make it unimaginably worst! "
Guilherme, change.org
"Freedom of expression and choice, without filtering. "
Ralph, change.org
"Lets keep android open or change to linux phone. Together we can. "
Sin, change.org
"I have always stayed with Android knowing I was free to create and develop and install and control my own device without the need to root the device. This decision will make this device just as worthless to me as an apple ios device and then looking again for other alternatives. Android was not always as polished and of thr same quality and IOS but having the ability to control my own device and software meant more to me then a fully polished and responsive mobile device. "
Brad, change.org
"As a young developer, you need to stop! What you re doing will prevent anyone below the age of 18 from developing apps for their own purpose and installing on their device, which they payed for, imagine giving a toy to a kid, then putting it into a box that they can't open, that is what you are doing right now. "
Alex, change.org
"Wasn't the whole point of android the freedom to do anything you wanted because it wasn't a locked down system? "
snot, change.org
"This is the main appeal of android to me. Having the freedom with my own device that I paid for instead of being limited. "
Joshua, change.org
"What guarantee is there that Google will use this data to make money? If only it were used for apk content bar betting houses and violent challenge. "
Waldomiro, change.org
"How can this be about security when the vast majority of people installing 3rd party apps are accepting that risk. Your anti virus services should be more than enough to prevent malicious applications but babying a population won't go well for you. I for one will get a huawei phone immediately after the change is officialized, privacy be damned, it's less authoritarian than what you're planning on doing. "
D, change.org
"Nobody asked for this. It's the users choice to install apks on their OWN device that they paid for. Stop doing this google! "
Alexander, change.org
"I've always chosen to use Android because I want to have control of how I use my phone. I know installing something might cause problems, but after all it's my decision and my phone too! If I wanted to be "more safe" I'd buy a phone with iOS. Let the users decide how they want to use their phones at their own risk. "
Nicky, change.org
"As an open-source developer and enthusiast, Google requiring ID Verification is not only unethical, but unsafe, anti-competitor, monopolistic, and is one of the major reasons why people like me switched to using MicroG instead of GApps. "
Garry, change.org
"APKs have brought really cool Android ports to game sites like GameJolt, and and I don't want to see that go away. Also, I heard licenses for these things can get pretty darn expensive, which isn't cool. "
Deirdre, change.org
"FOSS IS WHAT BUILT ANDROID. THIS WILL HURT FOSS. "
Noah, change.org
"Assuming Google is acting in good faith, they should respect users' intelligence and not lock down APK usage into a heavily regulated part of the internet. "
Noah, change.org
"We need liberty, the end of the APKs is a extremely bad decision to be honest. "
Anonymous, change.org
"It's serious that Android is doing this to those who make independent games, or stealing our data under the guise of security. I want to speak out because this is unfair. "
Cesar, change.org
"Locking the bootloader is bad. Preventing side loading is bad. If I buy a device, I want to use it as I like. That is the whole reason I've stuck on ith Android in the first place. Guess those days are gone. "
Joseph, change.org
"If Android no longer allows me to install what I want, how I want, there is no reason for me to not use Apple products. Your company is already going down the wrong path in so many ways with not properly supporting third-party open source Android variants; do not let this be the final nail in your OS's coffin. "
Peter, change.org
"If I wanted to have my apps controlled by a mega corporation, I would have gotten an iPhone "
Eric, change.org
"I always chose to use android because of its freedom to do whatever I want woth my smartphone. Now they want to become Apple. What is wrong with them? We can't let this happen. "
kelvin, change.org
"They are literally going against the reason people even buy Android phones in the first place "
Lightis, change.org
"Google is going to ruin what they built and turn into Apple. "
Abnormal Software, change.org
"Purchasing objects means ownership. If ownership is only given to the haves, the have-nots become slaves. Google, if you are doing this of your own free will, shame on you. Governments of the world: attack evildoers directly, don't punish the populace with slavery. For one sin, all Man suffers. But we don't have to live in that slavery to sinfulness! Return hate with love! "
Jame, change.org
"Android needs to stop developer verification! We cannot have a single entity like Google control what we can or cannot have! "
Cheny, change.org
"I'm making this comment because I think what Android and Google are doing is absurd. Because removing APKs from Android, like banning APKs, is very bad. Because Android has had APKs for so many years, taking away something that made Android what it is today is very bad. Many people like Android because of APKs, and I'm one of those people. Like, we had our childhood on Android because of APKs, so that's why I'm making this comment. This is for the good of Google and Android, and that's all. - David "
Davi, change.org
"Don't take away my ability to do what I want with my stuff. I payed for my device and it's mine to do what I want with. It's my responsibility to not damage my property. "
Peter, change.org
"This is a clear grab at power over Android's massive userbase to manipulate the masses via censorship and mass surveillance. If this isn't stopped, they will only push the rules further and further until the slope is so slippery it becomes a cliff. "
Boris, change.org
"Keep Android Open Google! Make it stand out to users and developers above the iPhone! "
Jason, change.org
"#NoMoreCensorship "
Russell, change.org
"If this is Android's future then it's time for Linux phones! My device my rules. "
Juan Antonio, change.org
"If I purchase a device, such as a smartphone, and I am not under a contract, I should be able to alter it how I want. It is MY device. There are certain features I want to disable, certain ways I want my phone to operate. With a "walled garden" such as an Apple device, I cannot do that! That is the reason I have used Android since my first Android phone, Dell Streak 5. If Google locks things down, I'll just switch to APPLE. What's the point of keeping Android? "
Rusty, change.org
"If you are or were a student in information engineering, many of you likely took a class on developing applications for Android devices. However, this specification change is something that will shake the foundations of such courses. Things that could previously be done by simply installing apps onto a physical device will now require cumbersome application procedures, an act that significantly lowers student motivation. "
中院, change.org
"Installing APKs has been one of the strongest points of Android. Erasing it will lead to Android losing users, Android becoming a same-same with Apple and destroy its reputation. Think twice before making this change, it can be the start of Android's downfall. "
Lautaro, change.org
"Choice and modification is the root of the Android platform. I should be able to install software I want on my own phone. If Android becomes a walled garden, then there will be no real reason to buy an Android, and I'll buy an Apple. "
Bailey, change.org
"Technology should forever remain in a position to assist and enrich the lives of everyone, not to control, limit, or profit from the average person who was PAID to own a product, and simply wishes to make their life easier. "
Evan, change.org
"Every year my tech gets less and less useful, it seems like every time I look away Alphabet adds more hurdles to jump over simply to have basic access to MY device. Google is a glorified intelligence agency conjured from the depths of DARPA and the CIA. They're allowed to retain their monopoly, not only because of the capitalist dystopia we live in, but because they're a thinly veiled arm of our criminal government, being welded like a cudgel against not only China's much superior tech industry, but the entire world in the form of the tailor made, digital echo chambers they lock us in. "
Steven, change.org
"As a certified Android glazer I think age verification is stupid and Android should stay open forever "
Anony, change.org
"Android's freedom of choice is what made me switch from apple. I find that limiting that those freedoms such as sideloading an obnoxious spit in the face of all who use and enjoy this operating system. If I wanted an anti consumer product id buy from apple. "
Link, change.org
"If you break android in this way, we will go elsewhere, and more code will be written, more avenues gone down and new ways to sidestep your control and ditch your software will emerge. You can't win, but you can lose. "
Daniel, change.org
"FOSS shall not die and we the users shall be free to install what ever software we want "
Erik, change.org
"If I wanted my phone to be a prisoner in a fascist dictatorship I'd have an iPhone. I've been thinking about degoogling my life, maybe now is the time to do it. "
Karl, change.org
"This ridiculous, anti consumer move from google is going to make me completely stop using their products. it will essentially make android the same as ios, and i specifically bought android phones to have more freedom. i might as well get an iphone now. "
Lewis, change.org
"As a user STOP! What made me choose Android over iOS is the openness of it. By doing this you are killing what make android great, the fact that everyone can make an app and load it on his phone. You don't have iOS fan base. We will go elsewhere. "
marie-france, change.org
"I like Android because of the customization and the control you have over YOUR phone. Restricting the openness and freedom you have on Android is an invasion of our rights. https://keepandroidopen.org/ "
Blake, change.org
"dear android, you are doing what you did to unlimited photo storage and making it limited. i have been eyeing the linux cell phone ecosystem for awhile and hope that is my option if you decide to limit and cripple the ecosystem you helped build. i have been degoogling my services like photos, drive, gmail, and calendar. if you change for the worse, i will change for the better "
michael, change.org
"What a spit in the face from Google. I switched from iOS to Android for the freedom, and this is what they do to me? Google gave me yet another reason to migrate away from their technocratic oligarchy & seek independence from profit-seeking corporations. Frankly, I don't expect Google to care about its customers anymore. But I'm still going to raise my voice. "
Samuel, change.org
"I'm a new Android game developer but unfortunately what Google did is unacceptable! We need to stop this stupid idea before it becomes a reality!! "
Guilherme, change.org
"I have been using Android since Eclair, after using Windows Mobile 6 and iOS. I have been seriously considering iOS again lately, and this would absolutely convince me to jump ship. "
Jon, change.org
"I keep memories of my life in open free apps. I can't lose all of that. Android needs to be as it has been until now. "
Javier, change.org
"the declaration of independance prolly said something about this... "
john, change.org
"Android has always been free and I get that money and safety is a massive push at the moment especially with the UK ID laws and much more but there has to be another way and if not to scrap this entirely. Everyone knows that android is open and thats alot of the reason people stick to Android and leave Apple and IOS behind. Androids openess has been a key part to my tech Journey and even my brand. Myself and many others would lose neishe apps that make their lives and even businesses possible and effective. KEEP ANDROID FREE. "
Grayson, change.org
"Our phone, our rights. Open source is freedom. We will not comply, we will turn to alternatives. "
Foghorne, change.org
"This move by Google is part of a larger trend to limit freedom online and verify everything. Government ID belongs to the government only not Google, so Google has no right to demand usage of it it's not their property and it's not Google users' property either it's the government's. Making developers present this is unnecessary as code review already prevents bad actors on Google Play Store. Limiting side loading APKs is anti freedom, and anti American. When you buy a device that means you are not restricted from doing anything you wish with it. Additionally basically nobody installs something from outside the play store or other markets like Samsung so this clearly isn't a safety thing because only the people who want or need this feature seek it out, and everyone continues to benefit from the availability of open platforms because they could decide tomorrow to install a app store other than google play store to seek out cheaper apps or ones that match their ethics such as open source. Android itself is licensed as open source and inclusion of proprietary google owned code in devices is sketchy anyway. "
Jagur, change.org
"I use Android phones rather than iphones because it allows for more user end control, including the ability to use/install open-source apk. If the choice is made to restrict this functionality, my next phone will not be an android. "
Rebecca, change.org
"If this goes through I’m going to apple "
Matt, change.org
"Boydan girmek lazım "
Said, change.org
"The entire reason I chose android over apple was the freedom I had to do what I wanted on the device I paid for. Google enforcing this "lock-down" is just shooting themselves in the foot and giving people more reason to give apple a shot. "
Riley, change.org
"Please reconsider this decision. Android has always been about freedom and open source. Being able to support small developers and having choices to sideload apps is integral to Android's success. "
Jay, change.org
"After this decision I will just go with iPhone, this was the only reason I was using Android, just making it worse for the consumer, this is not about security but locking down people's choice of store, which in my opinion should be illegal give that we bought our phones and we should be able to do with them as we please "
Colin, change.org
"I've been using Android for 10+ years instead of iOS sorely because of how open it is. I can customize a lot of my phone for convenience, looks, accessibility; I can download programs from F-Droid or games from Itch.io. Removing that or making it significantly harder is a deal breaker for me. "
Lucas A, change.org
"Does google not understand that the reaso ehy I refused to use iphones is that I cannot use my prefered apps on it. If google loses that, google loses me as well. "
bruno, change.org
"You okay Google? Isolation is never the answer. Hope you feel better soon! "
Robert, change.org
"The whole reason Android is popular is because it's open source. This undermines both user freedom and the open spirit that originally defined Android. Making this change under the guise of security amounts to manipulation, lying, deceiving your customers, and taking away their rights to use their device in their way. By doing this you are killing what make android great, the fact that everyone can make an app and load it on his phone. Google should not be able to say what apps we can and can’t download on a device we purchased. This change would remove the main reason I even purchase these phones, stop it google. As a developer I want to be able to use and test my own apps. Having a monopoly over the eccosystem is going to hurt developers and create move forced overreaching and breaching of constitutional rights. You are not protecting anyone from forcing them to use the googleplaystore, in fact all the spyware and malware I ever came in contact with was from Google Play itself. Calling it "sideloading" is just villianizing what a normal download is, removing basic freedoms to use my device as I so choose is a far overreaching tactic that shouldn't be even an option let alone seriously implimented. If this does happen, I won't be using andriod, And will also stop using any other google services. I can't support a company that is anti-consumer. Dealing with the amount of bloat and spyware that comes preinstalled on these phones is bad enough, pushing user to have to deal with these orwellian nightmares is completely unethical. Where did your company statement of" don't be evil" go? "
Kaleb, change.org
"I find this measure deeply concerning. When I choose to buy an phone, it is with the expectation of having control over how I use it. A company should not decide how I use my devices. "
Abdoul, change.org
"APPLE wAS GONE LONG AGO NOW WHERE WILL WE GO? "
henry, change.org
"This one feature is the one thing that has kept me from using iphone, if google proceeds, there will be many people like me that will make the jump because android will have nothing else to offer in comparison, this is bad for everyone not just the ones that use apps outside play store, they really want to kill android brands just like this. I hope they don't commit to this horrible anti consumer change "
Miguel, change.org
"I will dtop uding Android if this is beeing implemented "
Cederick, change.org
"This level of control over a phone i own is unacceptable if i own it i should be allowed to put what ever i want on it whenever i want without googles permission "
Frank, change.org
"google, it is not your job to parent any user on what they wish to do with the items they purchase. No one wants your control and no one asked. "
Kyi, change.org