Your phone is about to stop being yours.
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:
- 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. 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:
- Delve into System Settings, find About Phone
- 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…
71 organizations from 23 countries have signed the open letter
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Italian Linux Society ils.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
Techlore techlore.tech
Cryptee crypt.ee
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Proton AG proton.me
iodé iode.tech
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
FUTO futo.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Data Rights datarights.ngo
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Brave brave.com
FULU Foundation fulu.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
F-Droid f-droid.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
OpenMedia openmedia.org
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
GitHub Store github-store.org
April april.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org What they're saying
Tech press
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"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's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"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
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"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
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"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
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"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-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"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
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
Editorials & analysis
"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
"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
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"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
"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 does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"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
"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'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
"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
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"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
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
"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
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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
"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
Organizations & open letters
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"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
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"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
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"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
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"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
"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
"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
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"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
"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
"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
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"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'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
"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
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
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
"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
"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
YouTubers & creators
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – 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
"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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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
"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
"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 has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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 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
"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 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
"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
"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
"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
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – 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
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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
Developers & community
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, 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
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"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
"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
"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
"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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"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 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
"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
"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 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
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"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
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"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
"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
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, 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
"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
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, 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
"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
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"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
"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
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, 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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
Voices from the petition
"It doesn't surprise me to hear that GOOGLE is going to do this. It's not about creating something that could possibly be of benefit anymore. The all mighty dollar has to raise it's ugly head now days or it's just not worth doing. "
Ralph, change.org
"Let's all join forces in this fight because freedom cannot be violated "
Fernando, change.org
"For longer than I can remember, I have cherished Android's openness, the ability to side-load APKs, access to F-Droid and related means of acquiring open-source and ad-free apps. But now, here we go again with another Big Tech bait-and-switch: Android's appeal has always been it's open nature; Google captures it, promising it will not violate the fundamental openness of Android's operating system; next thing we know, Google announces it will indeed violate everything Android developers, users, and community members hold dear. Google: We are all so tired of paying to have our freedoms restricted on top of being the objects of mass surveillance. We are sick of purchasing over $1000 devices, only to have our fundamental rights to our own bought property be curtailed and our privacy interests betrayed. We will not continue to fund this behavior. Google must make a public, righteous, and inviolable commitment to keep Android devices *at least as open as they are now*. If it does not, it will be Google that feels the pinch of being locked out. "
Brian, change.org
"Ces é paia mano "
Solalalule, change.org
"Rules requiring app developers to pay Google and submit identification documents undermines Android as free and open source software and further exposes Google for the greedy, controlling corporate entity it is, now so far away from it's original "don't be evil" ethos. Privacy concerns about what happens when identification information is exposed have no value to them, and the chilling effect this will have on everyone from minor students learning to develop apps to developers surveilled by their governments will ruin the internet even more than it already has. "
Mary, change.org
"I am a self-taught programmer. Without the ability to experiment I could have never learned anything. This change will utterly destroy Android by not only banning a ton of quality software from sources like F-Droid and GitHub, but will also keep the next generation of developers from being able to learn by experience. "
Wesley, change.org
"Google does not deserve more money than they have right now, this is greedy. "
Parker, change.org
"What Google wants to do is simply inhumane, simply unacceptable for those who use our beloved Android. "
Althe, change.org
"Bro this is the only thing keeping android over iOS don't take it "
Alejandro, change.org
"The market benefits when there are choices. The choice to lock down Android is the wrong one. When I buy an android phone I buy the right to have control over the system and what happens in that system. Locking down Android phones is anti consumer. "
Jimben, change.org
"At that point highkey I'd just use IOS. Why remove one of the main things that lets android be android "
Josue, change.org
"Removing the freedom that Android provides is not the right way at all. If this is enacted, developers will lose their privacy because they have to give their government ID to a tech giant that also has an ad firm and the OS will not be different than its competition. I got an Android device because of the freedom it gave me, and it's sad to have thoughts about switching to iOS. "
Zach, change.org
"If this happens then I might as well move over to Apple. Shame on you Google. "
Darren, change.org
"Freedom of application installation on my own device is paramount to democratic computer access. "
John, change.org
"Be better than IOS, this is not the way "
Kai, change.org
"Nobody asked for this. Unrestricted sideloading is the only reason I bought an Android phone. I need to upgrade to a new phone soon, but I will never in a million years consider buying another Android phone unless this decision is reversed. I'm now genuinely tempted to switch careers and devote my life to building sophisticated adblockers just to annoy Sundar. "
Jacob, change.org
"Really hurting developers with this move. I implore those that are have good conscience left at google to re-evaluate. "
Calvin, change.org
"Google is a monopoly at this point, break it up. "
Barton, change.org
"This policy shift is concerning for developers. Android has always stood out because of its openness — the freedom to build and distribute apps without excessive barriers. Requiring mandatory verification and charging fees adds friction that especially impacts independent and small developers. I understand the intention may be to reduce piracy, malware, or improve security. However, raising entry barriers risks weakening the very ecosystem that made Android strong in the first place. Innovation depends on accessibility and low compliance costs. Also, Google Play Store has been historically ineffective regarding security issues on their own marketplace. Restrictive distribution policies can also create unintended consequences. When official channels become too restrictive or expensive, users may turn to unofficial modifications like rooting or other system-level workarounds. That does not improve security — it may actually increase fragmentation and vulnerability. Even Microsoft never needed to impose this level of control on Windows to remain competitive. Decisions like this could accelerate the growth of alternative Linux-based operating systems and, over time, undermine Android’s dominance in the global market. "
João, change.org
"As an android guru who runs a blog on getting the best out of android who often recommends and personally use many side loaded apps since a lot of the best apps are on places like f droid and sinilar places but not on google. Ultimately its sad to see android and apple be these walled gardens "
L, change.org
"Freedom is fundamental. "
S, change.org
"FOSS IS WHAT BUILT ANDROID. THIS WILL HURT FOSS. "
Noah, change.org
"Hold Google accountable to the original vision of Android. Stop Google from limiting APK file usage. "
Jeff, change.org
"I have been with Android since the Motorola Droid on Android 2.0 and been with Android all the way till now. The reason I went with Android is because of the openness and freedom I can do with my device that I bought. Throughout the years, I have installed really amazing apps outside the Play Store. I should have the ability to install any app I want and App developers should be able to create any app they want without having to give their information away. Google, please don't become like Apple and lock everything down. "
Rafael, change.org
"As consumers, we are entitled to the full functionality of the technology we purchase. This includes the freedom to choose how we use our devices and what software to run on them. Google claims their efforts to lock down Android are for security purposes, but their true motivations are based in a incessant need for control and financial gain. Malware concerns have never justified sideloading restrictions on computers, regardless of OS - so why would they suddenly apply to their pocket-sized counterparts? Smartphones serve as the primary drivers enabling both our personal and professional lives, online and offline. Big tech’s desire to rob the people’s agency and ownership over such vital technology through needless restrictions and invasive surveillance for an extra dime clearly shows their lack of integrity and respect for the consumer. Removing the freedom of choice from Android means creating a landscape where all mobile technology will never truly serve their users as all tools should. Coming from someone who has used both Android and iOS devices, I have learned how indispensable the freedom provided by Android really is, even for an average user. Google’s willingness to restrict their users, destroying Android’s greatest strength and its legacy is extremely disappointing. I do not want to live in a world where all technology becomes a series of “walled gardens” as Apple has notoriously made their own phones. We deserve to own our technology, not be owned by our technology. "
Jurrien, change.org
"I find it frankly baffling how Google is trying to erase one of the selling points of their products because of their need to control Android even further. "
Theo, 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
"the whole point of android is it's not apple, atp I'll just put linux on my phone "
a, change.org
"The differentiating factor with Android was always freedom. Apple had a locked down market and their own thing over there, meanwhile Android was open. I don't want to give up my tech sovereignty so a corrupt multinational conglomerate can harvest my data and shove more useless bloatware onto hardware I own, all while forcing mass surveillance. "
Michael, change.org
"We installed Android and became developers in good faith, that it was open and not locked/controlled and would stay that way. Google's motto USED to be "don't be evil" and yet they now do exactly that. People that force behaviour onto others are never the good guys. "
Shane, change.org
"The reason I don't like the IPhone ecosystem is because of how restricted it is, inwas able to support games or authors who don't publish on Google playstore due to what country they live "
Hairon, change.org
"Please don't make this change Because that's why I got an Android in the first place! "
Jerry, change.org
"The device that you bought that you own should not have any restrictions added after the purchase of what you can or cannot download onto said device. What (Google) is trying to do is going directly against that. "
Emilie, change.org
"I really don't want this to happen because downloading external applications is what makes this operating system special: it allows you to be free to do whatever you want with your phone. I don't want it to become an iPhone 2.0. Please don't do it. "
Dark, change.org
"Dear Google, As a life-long Android user, the perspective of this program ever coming into place is simply devastating. The Android Project was built with the promise of open-source software, community-driven development and digital freedom at its core. This promise has been a vital part of its success, from its humble beginnings to the widely popular and prolific ecosystem we have today. Any measure that does not fully respect these core values is a direct threat to the Android Project as a whole and a betrayal of its community. I believe the "Android developer verification requirements" program as it stands is such a measure. Therefore, I urge everybody involved at Google to seriously reconsider this program to the benefit of the Android Project and its community. Sincerely- "
Yoann, change.org
"Oh great and wise corporate overlords, I come to you a mere peon, a cog in your profit machine, to implore you to keep Android open to small or niche developers. If you implement the proposed changes you will have turned a thriving app ecosphere into nothing more than a reskinned iOS. Your commitment to Open Source and the availability of Android-.apk-but-not-via-Google are on the line here. Many of the most compelling use cases for my Android device would cease to exist under the proposed regime. If that happens I might as well switch to iOS devices, at least they are pretty. "
Michael, change.org
"That cannot be allowed, it even attacks the freedom of all users who use Android, for years that has always been the case, therefore, making that change, It would result in a catastrophic situation for many users, including Google itself, with many losses in every sense. "
Javier, change.org
"It is a fundamental right for everyone to be able to install whatever they want from wherever they want on any computer of theirs. "
Jim, change.org
"This is some dirty anti competitive google practice. One of the main reason why people choose android is it's freedom. I'd use a custom rom if my phone supported it(it's a galaxy a04e). Man, i like AOSP, and i really think way mkre people should be using android custom roms for privacy and freedom, because of companies like this, who want to create a monopoly. Android is a good OS, but the company who owns is garbage tbh. So, what i meant is, dont let them continue with those anti competitive practices, havent we had enough of google and big techs dirty practices? "
QByte, change.org
"Android is dying but we shall together to save Android. "
Elmer, change.org
"This will be removing the rights of citizens and adding authoritarian restraint via our private communication devices whilst calling it a feature. I do not use Google. I use Android. Soon I will be forced to use neither. "
Ryan, change.org
"Android has always been known for side loading. Android has always been better than IOS because it has side loading. Now, if Google keeps with this plan, our side loading rights will be gone. We can NOT let this happen. I have side loaded apps for years now, getting indie games and apps, getting modded apps, and so much more. I love to emulate, and there are many emulation apps that are approved on the play store. However, apps like Winlator and GameNative are not, and I would be revoked of using these apps. These apps have provided so many hours of fun to me, and without them, I wouldn't even be able to play PC games. Sign this petition to keep the freedom of Android that we should always have. "
Blake, 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
"Google, pls keep the sideloading and freedom of anyone installing or developing apps and others choosing to use them open. It is a breach of trust by making the ecosystem closed. People will hate google, no doubt I have started feeling so too with your move / proposed move. "
Gaspi, change.org
"Android was built as a open technology which made it stand against other proprietary operating systems such as iOS. This decision is not about "protection". It is about locking the system in order to benefit from a lockdown system. Developing app on Android is meant to be about learning and testing in the simplest way without having to be "an approved developer". "
Albert, change.org
"Locking down the ability to use APKs and other applications outside of the "approved" developers app is a great way to snub creativity and only allow "state sponsored" media on the device that is on your person 24/7. Having the ability to manipulate MY DEVICE that I paid for should be an absolute capability of each device we are expected to carry for years. "
Alex, change.org
"There is no point to using android if apks are restricted. If I wanted a phone to tell me what i can and can't do, I would get an apple, because at least I get better security and UI there. The android operating system is being stripped of everything that gives you control over your own device. If apks were restricted, I would completely degoogle my life. Big brother is watching you. "
Ben, change.org
"Google's plan to mandate developer verification for all Android apps is a direct betrayal of the platform's open promise. It crushes indie developers, hands a single corporation veto power over our devices, and sets a dangerous precedent for digital freedom. If we don't push back now, Android will become just another walled garden. "
DC, change.org
"KEEP ANDROID OPEN SOURCE "
Tomica, change.org
"My property. My rules. "
Steven, change.org
"Im sick of these souless corps squeezing every cent from us they can! "
Marcus, change.org
"As a consumer, i have The right to install applications freely without pressure or retaliation,since ona has The right to choose the applications one needs or uses. Furthermore,Android was designed for free use without restriction and with open source code for allá programmer,developers,and users of The device.This restriction would be illogical and would destroy The esence of Android.I oppose the removal of F-Droid and other third party applications. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED INTO CHANGES THEY NEITHER WANT NOT SUPOORT;BESIDES BEING PROHIBITED,IT IS ILLEGAL TO DECIDE FOR THE USER.ANDROID IS FANTASTIC BECAUSE EVERY USER CAN PERONALIZE THEIR DEVICE.SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE A SPECIFIC BRAND IN MIND,BUT THEIR DEVICE WILL REFLECT THAT PERSONALIZATION,UNLIKE ¡OS, NO TO BLOCKING THIRD PARTY APPS "
Juan Manuel, change.org
"well ima an artist and i dont have much money wich mean i cant even afford to even exist sometimes but using open source tools and side loading allows me to even have a chance to compete e end with other artists who may be alot more wealthy or privlaged .not only that its my right as Amarican citizen since the first amendment i have every right to free speach and self expression and to extension the Bible as a divine right giving to me as a human being from god him self and every other living thing on this eath across the world and even the universe if you will.my freedom mean i have a chance if you take that way that make things harder for everyone not just the ones that already had nothing. ppl are willing to do so much if you give them even the smallest chance if it mean achieving there dreams so ,plz reconsider. as some one whos used google practically for evey single input in there os its turned me into someone better then even i could imagine and bough me so much hope. i think it would break my heart if you didn't. "
light, change.org
"Yeah, when you buy a product it belongs to you. You can do whatever you want with your product. I like it open source since it gives full control on the potential you can do with your cellphone. I don't need a nanny telling any consumer what to do or monitor constantly on where I go. I don't like having to give out my personal information to a corporation that has had history of abusing personal information of users. And I don't like the direction it's going by making everything closed source. Android would be no different than Apple. I'm considering purchasing a linux phone so that I can fully have privacy and some form of freedom. Hope this will be a start of a change. Have an odd feeling Android will be going in the direction of what Discord is trying to implement with biometrics and building a profile off of the user of the things the user searches, the contacts the user has, and even the calls. Enough said. "
Cely, change.org
"I switched to Android for freedom, not being locked down like Apple!!! There's no point in using Android anymore if they start making it exactly like iOS. Please don't limit the usage of APKs google! "
Nathaniel, 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
"The openness of Android is perhaps one of the greatest features of Android. While many people do not sideload apps, many others do for a variety of reasons. Having the ability to use your own devices as you want want to, is crucial for many people around the world. We have seen many times in the past, that "security" measures like this one do very little to increase security, but restrict users heavily. "
Eric, change.org
"The ability of sideloading software is the biggest advantage android has over orther systems. I sideload a lot of apps and losing that ability means i have no reason to stay with android. Yes, apps from outside the play store do have more malware, but i can just not download them if i am afraid of getting hacked, this is not protecting anyone and is just removing freedom for users. Also, the ID verification google wants from the developers is a massive privacy and safety risk. "
miglin, change.org
"The main reason I always chose to buy Android devices for myself (and my wife and son as well) instead of iOS devices was that Android wasn't a "walled garden." Now that Google is making Android the same as iOS, I'll be looking for alternatives... "
Silas, change.org
"Guys, let's join forces and stop Google from putting these restrictions on Android. "
Kettisson, 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
"I bought my first Android phone around 2010 era, the Sony Xperia X8 for $160CAD on NewEgg SIM unlocked and I've been hooked on this type of freedom ever since. Flexxing on these iPhone scrubs in high school with my fancy custom rom(CyanogenMod, now known as LineageOS), is where it all started. Just a few days ago, I flashed the newest LineageOS for my device(April 8th, 2026). I don't know where I was going with this, probably to give you some insight on my experience. But it'll be a sad day if Google decides to take away sideloading, so let's try to stop it from happening. Doing my part and signing this petition. "
John, change.org
"If Android becomes closed like iOS there's no reason to keep using it. "
Emanuel Victor, change.org
"Android is freedom. Plain and simple. Android let's us the users decide what we want to do with our devices. I have only ever used android because it is open and free. "
Drew, change.org
"I first switched over to a Samsung phone because of Android being a open OS. I love being able to make small apps for myself as a developer, and as a user I like that I can find small dev groups on places like GitHub making really cool and useful apps that you would never be able to find on the play store. "
Connor, change.org
"I should be allowed to download whatever I want onto the phone I paid for "
Celia, change.org
"Android without open means NOTHING "
Lang, change.org
"The promise was an open and free OS "
Daniel, change.org
"My device is my device. "
arianna, change.org
"As a normal user, I prefer the ability to sideload my own ADB devices, and to use F-Droid, and to keep my rights, and my freedom to the device. This centralization is a gross attempt to restrict rights and make the system as bad as iOS. This is an attempt to control, resist it people. "
Owen, change.org
"The ONLY reason why i stay with android is because of the freedom. That is literally the only thing that makes android stand out compared to apple and is the reason why I stayed with android my whole life . If this change does happen and that freedom gets taken away . Im definitely going to switch to apple as there is no reason to entertain android/google anymore . Google , take note of your communities feelings on this matter and understand the risks from an financial stand point on how negatively this will impact your sales. I'm flat out saying you will lose me at least who is a loyal android and google supporter. If im willing to leave , imagine the rest of the community. "
Vincenzo, change.org
"We shouldn't accept the platform being closed and controlled this way, reach out to the anti-monopoly institutions in your respective countries! "
Cristian Nicolas, change.org
"I have always preferred Android phones over Apple phones, just for the freedom that Android gave to download applications without having to limit and control you all the time, but now Android wants to become an APPLE 2.0, if that happens I will throw away my Android phone and directly buy an iPhone, if it is going to have restrictions too, all bad Android 👎 "
Mauricio, change.org
"Google is heading down a dangerous path by trying to block or restrict APK installations from unofficial sources. This is a direct attack on one of the core reasons people chose Android in the first place: freedom. Android was supposed to be the alternative to locked-down ecosystems, not a copy of them. Let’s be honest about what this looks like. This is the same model used by Apple Inc. with iOS, where users are forced into a single app store, developers are squeezed by high fees, and anything outside that system is treated as suspicious or outright blocked. Android was never supposed to be that. Copying the worst parts of iOS defeats the entire purpose of Android existing at all. Sideloading APKs is not some fringe feature for hackers. It is essential for developers, for users in regions with limited access to official stores, and for anyone who values control over their own device. Taking that away is not about safety, it is about control. It is about deciding what users are allowed to install and where developers are allowed to distribute their work. Yes, security matters. But using “security” as an excuse to lock down the platform is lazy and dishonest. Users can handle informed choices. Warnings, permissions, and transparency already exist. Removing freedom entirely is not protection, it is restriction. If Google continues down this road, Android will lose what made it different and valuable. At that point, it becomes just another closed system pretending to be open. And if users are going to be treated like they have no control over their own devices, then there is no real difference left. People are not asking for less security. They are demanding the right to choose. And that right should not be taken away. "
Keep, change.org
"I like Android because it feels like a computer. I can administrate my own files, download niche little hobby projects made freely by others off of GitHub. I don't want it to become a walled corporate garden like iOS. If it does, well, might as well switch to the higher-quality walled garden, huh? No point in using a droid anymore. "
Maxima, change.org
"I'll be switching to iPhone if they pass the verification requirements, what's the point of using a locked down os if a better one is around the corner. "
Edwin, change.org
"If I choose to install a piece of software written by someone who "isn't verified" on my device that is my business, not Google's. To Google : Right now, one of the few remaining reasons I would choose an Android device over an iOS device is due to the presence of alternate app stores, like F-Droid that allow me to install open source apps. If I lose that ability, why would I continue to use Android over the competition? Don't be evil. "
Cameron, change.org
"Perhaps Google shares the same ideals as that damned communist country of China; they want to take away our freedom. "
Henrique Kelvin Alves da, change.org
"This solution simply doesn't make sense. It's not our fault, or the fault of all developers, that people don't know what to do to verify or install an application that isn't malicious. In my opinion, this should come enabled normally on new smartphones, but with a developer option to disable it. You don't have to complicate everything and force us to use an adb command just to install an unverified application. That simply doesn't exist. I provided the solution. "
Saulo, change.org
"I am Japanese and using translation. I am deeply disappointed about this matter. There is no need to restrict the great features of Android. If only a limited number of people can develop, it will only lead to the decline of content. Please stop making things worse. "
成田, 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
"We have arrived at the point of no return surrounding our digital freedom in the face of tech's constant struggle for authoritarian control. We will simply not accept this from companies that have abused their power and control over us for decades while they claim it's to protect us, for our own good. You will NEVER regain what's been taken from you, the only option is to stop them before they succeed! "
Brandon, change.org
"This would mean there's no longer a reason to use android "
Chandrea, change.org
"I have been an android user ever since I got my first smartphone over a decade ago. The only reason I still rock an android phone is the ability to customize my phone to my liking and being able to install whatever I want on the machine that I purchased with my money. Taking away the only feature that separates android from iOS is a terrible decision. This will definitely make a good chunk of your fanbase move over to iOS, including myself. "
Luis, 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
"Being able to get softwares and actually having device freedom is why I have always chosen android over apple. No freedom means that I can't do things I want to on my phone or any android device, which is the point of me buying android "
Zaiden, change.org
"What software I choose to create or install on my computing devices, no matter whether they fit in a pocket, is my choice alone. Google, Microsoft, Apple, et al. have zero business trying to arbitrate how I use the hardware that I own. Android is quickly becoming the very thing it swore to destroy--an opaque, locked-down, walled garden where the very concept of ownership is drawn into question--and I am already taking steps to distance myself from it should the worst come to pass. "
James, change.org
"As an Android developer myself, putting restrictions on an OS that people use to escape the restrictions of — let's say — iOS is a really bold and unconditional move. "
EXPOSED, change.org
"Freedom of expression and choice, without filtering. "
Ralph, change.org
"The life of Android is its openness. If I make an apk, I don't have to jump through hoops to install it on my device. If I install an apk from the internet, that is my choice. Verification in this regard is like requiring a government stamp on a written statement before it can be said in public: a gross overreach. I am not benefited as a consumer nor as a developer with this move, but I am harmed in every single way. "
John, change.org
"Sideloading does not exist. I bought the device, I own it and will use it as I see fit. I'm sure Sundar wouldn't appreciate his gardener telling him what grass he's allowed to grow. "
Eric, change.org
"this will kill the freedom that android provides and will make you lose a lot of customers you're gonna lose a ton of money from this stupid change "
Jimmy, change.org
"You, the consumer, purchased your Android device believing in Google’s promise that it was an open computing platform and that you could run whatever software you choose on it. Instead, as of September 2026, they will be non-consensually pushing an update to your operating system that irrevocably blocks this right and leaves you at the mercy of their judgement over what software you are permitted to trust. "
shark, change.org
"This is outright stupid on Andriods desicion making "
Madeline, change.org
"Love android because its open source, you're literally killing your base and the reason why people love android. Close it down and we will all find a better solution "
Courtney, change.org
"Screw that! "
Thierry, change.org
"Everyday Google becomes more and more of a monopoly and governments are letting them get away with it so they can use them to enact censorship and surveillance. "
Ciara, change.org
"I am from Brazil, and having an android closed here makes it impossible for Brazilians, who in our situation, most people cannot have an economic situation that can have video games, PCs to enjoy the culture, with emulators, we can have access to this, even with simpler cell phones, because here even the simplest cell phone, it costs almost 1 minimum wage, I wanted to leave my support so that we can change this bad future "
Icaro, change.org
"Google is already a monolithic company, now they are shutting out any developers and apps that don't conform to whatever arbitrary requirements they decide. Allow people the right to choose their own apps "
Jensen, change.org
"Anyone from brazil here? "
Luis, change.org