Your phone is about to stop being yours.

107 days until lockdown

Starting in 2027*, 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 in 2027, 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:

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. In 2027, 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:

  1. Delve into System Settings, find About Phone
  2. Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
  3. Dismiss scare screens about coercion
  4. Enter your PIN
  5. Restart the device
  6. Wait 24 hours
  7. Come back, dismiss more scare screens
  8. Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
  9. 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.

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.

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…

71 organizations from 23 countries have signed the open letter

La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net KDE e.V. kde.org LineageOS lineageos.org Obtainium obtainium.imranr.dev The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de Rocky Linux rockylinux.org Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au Codeberg e.V. codeberg.org Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org The OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) osmfoundation.org Nextcloud nextcloud.com The Guardian Project guardianproject.info OW2 ow2.org The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org CryptPad cryptpad.org Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be Open Web Advocacy open-web-advocacy.org Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no GitHub Store github-store.org epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works Molly molly.im Fastmail fastmail.com Fedimedia fedimedia.it AdGuard adguard.com Proton AG proton.me Privacy Guides privacyguides.org MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch FACiL facil.qc.ca The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk iodé iode.tech Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org The Calyx Institute calyx.org GNOME Foundation gnome.org The Tor Project torproject.org FOSDEM fosdem.org Cryptee crypt.ee Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co JMP.chat jmp.chat Aurora Store auroraoss.com The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org April april.org ARTICLE 19 article19.org UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org Tuta Mail tuta.com Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org XMPP Standards Foundation xmpp.org Osservatorio Nessuno OdV osservatorionessuno.org GrapheneOS Foundation grapheneos.org microG microg.org IzzyOnDroid izzyondroid.org F-Droid f-droid.org Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org Ghostery ghostery.com Data Rights datarights.ngo VideoLAN videolan.org Italian Linux Society ils.org OpenMedia openmedia.org /e/ Foundation e.foundation The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu Brave brave.com FULU Foundation fulu.org Techlore techlore.tech Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org FUTO futo.org The App Fair Project appfair.org Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

What they're saying

Tech press

"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"

Infosecurity Magazine

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"

How-To Geek

"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"

The Register

"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"

Open Source For U

"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"

TechRepublic

"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"

Reclaim The Net

"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"

It's FOSS News

"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"

XDA Developers

"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"

Techdirt

"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"

Android Headlines

"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"

The Register

"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"

Cybernews

"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"

Tom's Guide

"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"

Android Headlines

"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"

How-To Geek

"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"

TechCrunch

"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"

How-To Geek

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"

Datamation

"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"

The Register

"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."

Hackaday

"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"

MakeUseOf

"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"

Ars Technica

"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"

How-To Geek

"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."

Thom Holwerda, OSnews

"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"

Gizmochina

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld

"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"

Android Headlines

"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"

Benzinga

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"

How-To Geek

"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"

How-To Geek

"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"

The Verge

"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"

Tom's Guide

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine

"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."

I-Programmer

"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"

SlashGear

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack

"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"

9to5Google

"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"

Techzine EU

"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"

Tuta Blog

"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."

Android Police

"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"

Ars Technica

"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"

Slashdot

"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"

Bleeping Computer

"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"

heise online

"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"

TechSpot

Editorials & analysis

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

"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

"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

"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."

ACLU

"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."

F-Droid

"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."

European Parliament

"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."

Tuta

"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

"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

"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."

European Pirate Party

"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."

F-Droid

"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."

AdGuard

"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

"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."

AdGuard

"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"

Tech-ish Kenya

"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

"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."

F-Droid

"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

"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

"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."

Tuta

"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."

AdGuard

"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."

Nextcloud

"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."

Tuta

"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."

Osservatorio Nessuno

"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

"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

"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."

F-Droid Open Letter

"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

"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

"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

"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

YouTubers & creators

"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"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

"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 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

"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

"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

"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

"Android has become what they set out to destroy."

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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

"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

"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

"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

"That's not openness. That is control."

ChiefGyk3D – 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

"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

"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

"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

"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 decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."

fireborn – Blog

"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 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

"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."

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

"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."

Tuta Blog – Blog

"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

Developers & community

"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 now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."

vala, Lemmy

"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

"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

"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."

gumby271, 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

"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."

layfellow, Hacker News

"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."

TheTearMiser, 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

"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."

hbn, 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

"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

"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."

flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News

"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, 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

"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."

koala, Lobsters

"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."

Zak, Lemmy

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."

girvo, Hacker News

"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."

lynxy, Tildes

"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

"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

"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."

Max-P, Lemmy

"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

"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

"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."

hn92726819, Hacker News

"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."

anordal, Lobsters

"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 wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."

afferi300rina, 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

"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

"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."

survirtual, Hacker News

"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

"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."

WaffleMonster, Slashdot

"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."

BenjaminRi, 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

"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."

tejtm, 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

"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

"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."

Apocryphon, Hacker News

"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."

Zak, 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

"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

"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."

Tiraon, Tildes

"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

"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

"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."

MrZander, Hacker News

"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

Voices from the petition

"Our phones, our choice!!! "

Robert, change.org

"Android already provides security tools — Play Protect, install warnings, and permissions. These are the right solutions. A blanket lockdown is not security; it is control! "

Alex, change.org

"Ok,So as anAndroid User,It is known that Android has a very large freedom on apps,and that's also why many users prefer the system.And In This Way ,Google's banning on apps is a killing action that ruins its powerful use.So if Google don't want to see it,PLEASE STOP THIS STUPID DECISION! "

Huang, change.org

"In the past, Google claimed to be "good" with its "don't be evil" slogan. That time has passed. Now we need to fight against these clearly evil policies. Join this cause! "

Cristiano, change.org

"1 federal lawsuit wasn't enough? Why after all that's happened, being convicted for monopoly must Google feel the need to throw "

Zach, change.org

"I've always been an avid android user because of its open nature, but since the pandemic google has been clamping down on the freedom provided by the platform. First they added extra steps to install appstores other than the play store. Then they took away the ability to install older applications. Then they blocked you from being able to access the filesystem of your own device. Now they want to close the ecosystem, and make it easy for them to oppress the people who made this OS worthwhile in the first place. Google is heartless, and it's only a matter of time until they closed-source the android project. I will not stand for a corporation that willingly hands over the innocent to this authoritarian regime. Leave android alone! "

Issac, change.org

"I bought my Android device because it was an open computer platform. Changing the rules now to force verification is a betrayal of users and a move toward a monopoly. Stop this restriction! "

Emirhan, change.org

"It really seems like part of a conspiracy to turn the entire digital world into a tool for psychological and mass control. Let's raise our voices together against this immense idiocy, most likely promoted primarily by governments and not directly by Google. 👁️📐👌⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤️ "

Alessio, change.org

"dont do that man "

Kaktus, change.org

"It's just because I like piracy and I was born into piracy. "

Simp, change.org

"We need to stop the "APPLE-FICATION" of our beloved ANDROID. We have supported Android & Google since it's beautiful inception, to stick it to EVIL BIG CORPS. LIKE APPLE. The act of PREVENTING us from installing APK's or other OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE, is a direct BETRAYAL of us LOYAL USERS of the ANDROID OS. A YUUGE SLAP in the face with 20+ years worth of power behind it. This act maybe not be coming until 2027.... Regardless, this will affect lots of Devs., Users, and others in the ecosystem that prefer to not use the "Play Store" to obtain their apps, and don't Agree with the way that Apple treats it's customers & doesn't want Android to become a company that continually oversteps it's boundaries, & HAS PUT PROFIT OVER PEOPLE SINCE IT'S INCEPTION. ANDROID started as the O.S. of the people, made by an Alliance of Companies, that know how to treat their customers and constantly listened to Android Users, in regards to features and other things that were requested after every update. This is how we have Arrived @ the current version. After countless features added, bug fixes and years of us buying devices with Androids O.S. '27 might be the last year that MILLIONS OF LOYAL ANDROID users turn their backs on the operating system & move on to other Operating Systems that don't want to treat us like children under the guise of "SAFETY".... PLS MAKE SURE TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND ASK THEM TO SHARE AS WELL! OUR LITERAL DIGITAL FREEDOM & PREVENTING ANDROID FROM BECOMING EVERYTHING THEY WERE AGAINST IN THE BEGINNING IS IN OUR HANDS. WILL THIS PETITION WORK? WHO KNOWS. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE THEIR MINDS ON RECLAIMING ALL THE LOST REVENUE FROM FREE APPS, ALT OPERATING SYSTEMS, AND CRACKED APPS/GAMES. Apple has prevented cracked App from the start, that led many ppl to switch to Android after they started bricking JAIL BROKEN iPhones. This might happen with Android as well, nobody wants a bricked Android just because we don't agree with paying between $3 &$9, in order to not get AD's every time that you start a new level on a game, every 3 minutes, every time you open the app, or being restricted from certain functions that only work with the "FULL" Version of the App. PLS ANDROID DON'T TURN INTO APPLE. Remember the motto that you based your whole system on "DON'T BE EVIL"... Leave that to Apple and their sheep users that allow themselves to be controlled by an evil corp. "

Brian, change.org

"I have android to be free, not to be in a digital prison. Android shouldn't be another apple. "

Dominic, change.org

"I think it is a slap in the face for users and developers alike. "

Timothy, change.org

"my friend told me to sign it so i did "

Ethan, change.org

"As a hobbyist and tinkerer I rely on sideloaded apps to manage my smart devices, maintain privacy and access key items on other devices. Many of these services that I have set up would be unavailable if this goes forward. What's more there is no foreseeable reason why one shouldn't be able to modify, edit and change their own devices as they see fit. Every other computer works in this manner and Android has been no different. Maintaining this freedom is a must going forward and has one of the primary draws to the ecosystem. Google's choice to stop sideloading is not fooling anyone, it's a method of control and siloing. I left Apple because of this, don't think I won't leave Android too. "

Matthew, change.org

"I paid for this device and I can do whatever I want with it "

Marcus, change.org

"As an Android user for years, I'm honestly outraged by what they're trying to do. This isn't protection, it's control, it's obvious. "

Ryan, change.org

"I think that there should be access to install whatever you want on YOUR device, and use it how you want to. "

Jamison, change.org

"I never liked Apple's highly restrictive service for their app and mobile OS. I chose Android because of the freedom of customizability and choice, and ease of access. Do not make Android a wasteland, Google. People who use andriod value privacy and security, while also easily being able to make it better without worrying about who has what information about them. Please, think about the consequences for once. "

Maygen, change.org

"What happened to not being evil? "

Scott, change.org

"I do not want Google to limit my freedom of speech or right to privacy. Google is a monopoly and must be dismantled. This has to stop. "

Tristan, change.org

"I have always used android for this exact reason. For the freedom to do whatever I want on my device that I paid for. "

Juan, change.org

"Android without open means NOTHING "

Lang, change.org

"If this goes in effect there's literally no reason for me to stay on android. Would likely either go graphene but that feels up in the air for long term support so I guess that leaves apple. And I already hate walled gardens. Especially when the play store is basically just a malware repository. I'm so tired of corps eroding our freedoms. Why must everything be enshitified this day an age. "

Coleman, change.org

"Android started as the Anti-Apple and the ubiquity of manufacturers, form functions, ROMs, and open source app development has made it what it is today: the worlds most used operating system powering nearly 70% of phones and 1/3 of all devices, even surpassing Windows. App verification and sideloading through ADB only will hamper development and greater adoption moving forward. If forced into a walled garden, why not just use iOS? "

Nicholas, change.org

"The open source nature of Android and the AOSP community has made it easier than ever to delve into the world of Linux development at ones own pace, which is an extremely useful skill in the IT space. Especially for those without the local community, resourcee, and funds to pursue a formal/traditional education. "

Aidan, change.org

"that's the only reason i actually use Android, this should not be an actual project of Google "

Theodore Thomas, change.org

"This would destroy a lot of unknown developers and other people who make great apps. "

Aidan, change.org

"Let's be real, this isn't about security, it's about forcing people to use Google playstore, and trying to get peoples info just like what Youtube is doing right now. "

Draven, change.org

"Google taking this next step seriously shows to me as a person that they only care truly about money, and do not value their community. I know we were never to expect more from this company, but it is an offense to try and censor what we're allowed to do on our own phones. I do not own a Google phone, I own an android phone, and I was proud to say that, but not anymore. Half the apps on the Play Store are junky, and ad-filled apps that are competing, and suck. If you have ever searched for piano tiles or voice recorder you know what I mean. F-droid, Zapstore, Github store - They are all REAL stores, and I feel safer on them realistically. This decision is not improving the life of consumers for safety, or for developers that wish to remain anonymous. I remember when Google was a liked company (at least for their products), but now it feels like all everyone is trying to do is dodge their bullets. Google, enough. "

A, change.org

"This does not protect anybody. All it does is restrict an OS that was supposed to be open. This was one of the main benefits of Android over iOS, and now it's being removed. This also kills the open source ecosystem, since alternative app stores cannot function if all developers are required to pay Google and pay a fee. Ordinary users are already protected from malware with Google Play Protect, and app sideloading disabled by default. This does not help anyone. Even calling it sideloading is misleading, since we own the device NOT Google. On a computer, this is called installing software. It shouldn't be different on a phone. This will also allow government censorship of apps that protect privacy. Overall a terrible idea. "

Daniel, change.org

"Absolute nonsense from Google, the flexibility of the Android OS has been the only thing differentiating it from Apple products and keeping me in this ecosystem. Each "update" is just another layer of restrictions at this point. With current market prices and the state that Google is developing android, I might as well just buy a laptop instead of a flagship android. "

Pwon, 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

"As an Android user, I'm really worried about the new requirement for mandatory developer registration that’s supposed to start in September 2026. The openness of Android has always been what sets it apart and offers real benefits to developers, hobbyists, and users. Features like sideloading and direct app sharing are vital for innovation, privacy, and community-driven software. I hope Google reconsiders this policy and makes sure there’s a simple, low-effort way for users to opt out if they want to install unverified apps. "

Vyacheslav, change.org

"APK or go away "

Joshua, change.org

"Android promised us a choice. We shouldn't let them take it away from users and developers alike just to have more control. "

Cross, change.org

"This is going to change android into a half functional game console locked down to anyone who won't kiss the G, a sure sign of drm, not consumer protection. If only google approved apps are allowed, will we only be able to call google approved phone numbers, visit google approved websites, see google approved images, listen to google approved music? We are not google. "

Willem, change.org

"What Google is doing seems awful to me; taking away the user's freedom to install any APK app they want is like forcing users to install whatever Google wants. It's deplorable. "

Pedro, change.org

"I've been an Android user for ever since i was 12, im about to be 30 now and i have never looked back, this is do to one main reason, freedom of choice. I always liked that i can install games and apps directly from developers most of the times. Is one of those things that set Android apart from iOS. Im not as tech savvy as some of my peers, but i do often show off the things i can do on my Android device that family and friends cant do on their iOS, so far i have been able to convince people to switch to Android and they have been enjoying the switch. I feel like iOS is finally catching up to Android in terms of customization features that Android has had for years now, but this decision to limit where i can get apps from would make the system just like iOS. I already quit from newer Samsung Galaxy devices since they got rid of features i still utilize to this day like the Headphone jack and Expandable storage. Today i use a Sony Xperia 1 V, which features both. I even did this personal experiment last year where i got an iPhone for 3 months to truly experience "the other side" and apart from getting use to the new User Interface (UI) the thought i kept having for those 3 months was "i cant get that one app im used to" or "i wish i could get this specific app, but is not on the App Store". When i finally got back to an Android phone the difference felt big, not only was i back to an UI i was so used to, i also didn't feel restricted from my choices in what apps i wanted to install. All and all, this decision to restrict Android users from where we can get our apps, is just another thing that i think will not longer set them apart from an iOS device, and there will be less reasons to choose an phone over the other, making them unexciting and eventually just all blend together. "

Anthony, change.org

"Keep Android Free and Open! Locking down Android isn't about safety it's about control and censorship! "

Donald, change.org

"Jesus christ google you want to drive away your entire customer base? You realize that the only reason we don't buy iphones is because they don't give us this freedom that Android does. I know you think no one can touch your multi billion dollar empire but know that you have that data because of us. The customers. NO ONE ASKED FOR THIS, NO ONE WANTS THIS. First you "detected root" then you "implemented safety net" then you implemented "play integrity and certification" just pushing and pushing and pushing developers to bow down to you. And now this? No. You aren't staying on top forever. Think very carefully if this is the road you want to tread because we will all leave. And it won't be just Android. Alternative search engines exist. Alternative emails exist. Alternative cloud storage exists. We don't have to bow down to Google. If you do this, it's over. "

Genalio, change.org

"I only somewhat recently found open source apps and some of my favorite apps to use for certain services have easily become my favorite ones to use above googles or the play stores apps, and I trust apps from F-droid and other sources more than I would trust apps from the play store or even baked in apps with some that would actually make doing things less easy and enjoyable if suddenly I was unable to use them "

Robert, change.org

"If I paid for my device I should be able to do whatever I want with it, you don't own it google I do, and your taking away one of the only reasons I love and use an android. "

Dylan, change.org

"Locking down the Android OS does not benefit developers, or users. It gives more control for Google, to eventually extract more from their users. Android has not been the epitome privacy and FOSS, for a while now; but it has at least kept some of those options open for users. Limiting sideloading is ruining my last reason to use Android. Time to switch. "

Steven, change.org

"I'm tired of the world becoming largely more authoritarian and censorial in general. Forcing developers to tie their personal identification, pay a fee to Google, and requiring one to be a part of a poorly curated program of developers makes absolutely no sense at all. It is clear this is an attempt to further monopolize the app market by Google in order to extract more profits, while also making it easier to surveil and censor owners of Android devices. As an open source developer, and privacy enthusiast, these points allow such communities to not even flourish, but to simply exist. This locking down of the operating system, while providing no meaningful alternatives WILL kill such communities. I make a point to use as many open source applications on my phone as possible, because so many applications on the Play Store are primarily data collection mechanisms with the app's advertised use being secondary. This sucks. "

Shaun, change.org

"Authoritarians, I know you want the whole pie, but if you aspire for it we will make sure you lose the majority you already hold. "

Josh, change.org

"Please don't limit the choice of those users who are either more technically inclined or simply need to use an app that isn't available on a store or signed by a registered developer. This is the kind of thing that really makes me sad. The flexibility of Android is gradually getting chipped away. First you take steps to make it incredibly difficult to have a usable experience on a rooted device via Play Integrity Services, and now you're going to take away our choice to sideload on devices that are supposedly "secure" as well? This is so anti-consumer and so against the spirit of freedom that Android afforded for those who didn't want to be locked in that I just can't find any way to justify it. How can you? "

Dustin, change.org

"#DOWNWITHGOOGLE "

Monty, change.org

"The reason I went with Android at all was its openness, every major release seemed to wear down at that, and now the recently announced lockdown of all apps needing some paid license? That's Google unfairly abusing its monopoly position. "

Adpocalyptic, change.org

"The Android system should be kept open and free for end users and developers to use as they see fit. Google's decision to close the system is just one more step, of many already taken, toward the evil that they once promised not to be. Hopefully, enough people will realize that Google is not a trustworthy partner in software and OS ecosystems and a new, truly open system will be developed. "

E J, change.org

"As someone who has started making my own apps for fun, the prospect of not being able to test them on my device or share them with friends is ridiculous. If this goes through my next phone upgrade will not have anything to do with google. "

Al, change.org

"Google is essentially deciding to kill their own identity with this move. Side loading apps is a for of freedom that is the core reason people use android. Without this it's just a worse version of iOS... And no one wants that. This move if not corrected will start a movement they don't want and will grow the development of a true Linux based is for phones. This is a greed move. A power move they want full control and to lock developers into their own store front. It's sad really... A pathetic move that will hurt then in the end. I hope they change their mind.. if not I guess I will be going custom firmware on this pixel and strip Google from the device entirely. "

Adam, 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

"Ces é paia mano "

Solalalule, change.org

"Prohibition is not the way to safety and health. Good UX is enough to allow power user to own their devices. Don't listen to excuses from big corporations that play the victims, while they treat their users like disposables, in order to maximize their profits. Android must stay open. "

Lorenzo, change.org

"The promise was an open and free OS "

Daniel, change.org

"I do not condone google to control everything "

Leticia, change.org

"Why are these changes a necessity? What scary changes are happening in the technological realm that's causing Google to take these ecosystem changing moves? It appears as if you're ignoring a large section of your fan base. I hope freedom wins, but I think with the ever quickening development of A. I. that this measure may be the new necessity with mobile technology try to keep had actors at bay. "

Gene, change.org

"Android has benefited greatly from being open. It is what sperated Android from iOS. If Android is going to just be iOS, might as well just buy into the Apple ecosystem which is much more robust than Android. "

Chris, change.org

"Sideloading is the only thing that separates android from IOS in a meaningful way and to get rid of it destroys the whole point of using android. "

Jacob, change.org

"As someone who believes in freedom and not being controlled by the big tech companies, we need Google to reverse this decision, otherwise, I'll just switch to a Linux phone. "

Carter, change.org

"Need to stop Google from controlling us! "

Carmen, change.org

"Open Android was a promise to devs and users. Now Google tries to turn Android into a closed shop. That is disapointing. "

Marc, change.org

"The world can live without android if it's just an apple clone, and the Chinese will copy/clone better if you give them such a easy opportunity sense your taking away freedom, all they have to do is give some freedom and everyone won't be buying apple or android anymore. "

Hilario, change.org

"WHAT GOOGLE IS DOING WITH ANDROID IS A BIG SCAM AND WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. LET'S ADVANCE THIS PETITION MORE AND MORE UNTIL THEY GIVE UP ON THIS IDEA. SHARE THIS PETITION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND DONATE MONEY SO THAT MORE AND MORE ANDROID USERS SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS CASE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING!!!!! "

Matheus, change.org

"The continual tightening of the corporate hand around the throat of Android is pivotal to oppose. Android and other Linux-based operating systems are currently and will continue to be the front lines of the eternal battle for user freedom, privacy, and safety worldwide. "

Aaron, change.org

"I got an Android tablet for the freedom it offered over an ios device such as ipads and iphones. If Google's going to lock the system down anyway, I might as well buy a touchscreen for a Raspberry Pi and repurpose it instead of using Android in the future. "

Timothy, change.org

"I purchased an Android device just recently and had to send it back because I disliked how central to the user experience Google made itself on the new device. I could never see myself buying another Android if it gets worse than this, and Googles limits on APK file usage is definitely worse. "

Donna Grace, change.org

"Android is all about being open. Removing the ability to install apps without the play store destroys this freedom. This will kill the dreams of young app developers, and will hurt high-quality open source apps that don't have the funding to pay to Google. This move will stifle app development innovation, and will hurt users by removing choice. Without free choice, I am left asking the question "Why Android anymore?" If Android is locked down like IOS, maybe going with Apple is better. I hope I don't have to switch to IOS. "

Austin, change.org

"Google, allow us to actually own our devices! "

cornelius, change.org

"Nós vencemos Google idiota 😆😆😆😆😆 "

Bruno, change.org

"Google is an evil entity. I'm not surprised they're doing something evil. "

Justin, change.org

"Android has always been the mobile enthusiast's dream. Please don't take that dream away. "

Logan, change.org

"The possibility of one of the only features that could jumpstart and maintain rising developers ambitions and the Android community; being able to install any files into their systems getting smothered is a nightmare for anyone who has been sticking to Android themselves due to its customization (I will protect my self-made Miku UI with my life). Going against the reasons of Android's strengths WILL be a bad idea and would force the people to find lower alternatives, whether they are better or not can't be gauged when this move destroys the baseline of a free and modifiable OS. Please listen to the community that is yelling to not aim at poor Bugdroid's shins... "

Ken, change.org

"Its my phone im doing as i please with it "

Brayden, change.org

"Literally the only reason I swapped to android years ago was because it had freedoms that iPhones didn't. I may as well swap back if this is how things are going. "

Robert, change.org

"Google can't do whatever it wants with Android. I paid for Android precisely for the freedom. If I wanted to stay in a closed system, I would have bought an iPhone. '-' "

Sandro, change.org

"One of the main benefits of owning an Android device is having the freedom of installing any repositories and apps you wish, including those that are open source. If Google goes through with this power grab and monopolizes the Android software, then there will be no benefit compared to owning an iPhone. "

Richard, change.org

"My device is my device. "

arianna, change.org

"We want digital sovereignty for democracy! "

Kelly, change.org

"The only reason why I absolutely love android is because it makes me feel like I actually OWE my device and can do with it whatever I please to do, if google is limiting what I CAN or CANT do this means the device is no longer mine and why would I stick with android when there is other ecosystems like iOS which are SO much better than googles tracking and privacy? I want android to stay the way it’s been, open, amazing and fulfilling for users like me and so many others, all of my friends and family members use/have android because it belongs to them, if google decides to implement this APK blocking I assure them everyone around me will start buying iPhones! "

Andres, change.org

"Freedom of expression and choice, without filtering. "

Ralph, change.org

"Android has always been about freedom. I've always loved side loading an app made by a line developer to complete a niche task/feature. My music player and compass app were side loaded from F Droid and I think it's super cool to be able to install custom versions of stock phone apps. I've side loaded a modded version of my camera app that brought Google Pixel's photosphere to my phone. How else would I have been able to do this without side loading?? There's no reason Android has to go this direction, it may just as well be called mock iOS if all the reasons I chose Android are taken away. May customization, freedom of how I use my phone, and innovation reign once again in the heart of Google's Android! PLEASE 🙏 "

YAIR RAFAEL, 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

"You pay all this money, over a $1000 dollars for a topshelf phones but yet it still isn't yours to do with as you please. This is just another example of corporations taking away your freedoms to choose. "

James, change.org

"I should be allowed to make my own decisions about what I want to install on my device, smartphones nowadays are basically pocket computers and the ability to install apps from any source is by far the biggest reason I chose Android over iOS. Only being able to install apps from verified developers also gives power to Google to censor apps they don't like. "

Ryan, change.org

"I went back to Android over Apple because of APK freedom. There is no reason to buy an Android phone if this change is implemented. Android users love DIY: researching, exploring new manufacturers, using independent APK repositories. Google is trying to destroy the one thing that makes Android appealing. We all might as well buy iPhones if this is the direction they are choosing. Or dump our money into PinePhone dev. "

Kay, change.org

"i have apple, but it'll be so desperate if the people who use android to have to hand android your private and personal id, and even if i have android i am NOT handing android my private and personal id. over my dead body. "

Navell, change.org

"Google is trying to steal money from devs. Plain and simple. "

Caleb, change.org

"The only reason I've stuck with Android all these years has been its open ecosystem. If that's removed, I'd switch to Apple in a heartbeat. "

Anjali, change.org

"SKYNET HAS INITIATED WWIII :( "

Daniel Alberto, change.org

"Enough freedoms have been taken away, so leave the tech ALONE!!! "

John, change.org

"We want Android as it was intended and created to be, free and for everyone, not a cheap reskin of iOS. "

TARS-, change.org

"I use Android because it's free than OS so what will be the difference between iOS and Android if it's not for "site loading".i am simply user not a developer I like to be able to take a software and install it with my device.Don't be evil but that's not true anymore but remember for where you coming from if you forget this your roots you have no future. "

Krasimir, change.org

"My money goes to the people with a specific contract implicitly in mind. I own the device, and the manufacturer cedes control to me in totality. If google wishes to contiunue with this course of action, the monetary value of any android phone as a product drops to zero - I cannot own one in totality. I cannot purchase one in truth. I'm only thankful that Linux-based phones are now (more than ever) becoming a viable, if still niche choice. "

Benjamin, change.org

"I have an iPhone currently but hate it because I don’t have the ability to load any application I want. So when this goes into effect I will have zero reason to get another phone with android as it will just be a iPhone knockoff. "

Bill, change.org

"Android is an open-source system; this restriction will make Android a closed system. I will switch to iPhone if this update is implemented. "

Miguel, change.org

"Boa noticia "

Kleberson, change.org

"Users don't deserve the Google jail cell to shrink and encroach "

Ben, change.org

"As a long time user of Android who has refused to move on to other mobile devices, and as a developer who builds personal apps for testing, I find the idea of removing sideloading to be more harmful for the android community than it is helpful. I do not want to be "an approved developer" by giving up my personal information and being forced to pay a fee. Android literally started as an open-source operating system, and now it's literally just Apple OS but Google edition. Plus the worry of malware being spread elsewhere is contradictory. Apps on the Google Play Store are NOTORIOUS for containing spyware, malware, and even pornographic ads. I once installed a Genesis emulator on the Google Play Store and the first thing I saw was an ad of a bunch of nude girls, and the ad literally had the Google Ads logo button on it, so I know that wasn't from them but y'all. When I installed a Genesis emulator outside of Google Play, there was not a single ad, and for the other apps I got that did have ads, thet didn't have freaking PORN ads. Going anti-consumer isn't protecting anyone Google, it's just making things worse but in your favor. Please Google, make the choice that would keep your userbase and community instead of one that would destroy it. If you are going to continue with this anti-consumer decision, I might as well switch to Apple because at least they take the time to double-check if their apps have malware and spyware. Don't make me switch. "

Elijah, change.org

All references, editorials, press coverage, and videos →

Take Action Full resource list, regulator contacts, links for every country, and how to fight back Open Letter Read the open letter signed by organizations opposing developer verification

You bought your phone.
You should decide what runs on it.

That shouldn't require a 9-step process, a 24-hour wait, and Google's ongoing permission.

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