Предстои телефонът ви да спре да бъде ваш.
През 2027* г. Google, без да иска съгласието на потребителите, публикува тихомълком актуализация, която ще блокира всяко приложение за Android на разработчици, които не са регистрирани в Google и не са подписали съответните договори, не са платили съответните суми и не са предоставили личен документ.
Всяко приложение и всяко устройство по целия свят и без опция за отказ.
↓Какво прави Google
През август 2025 г. Google обяви ново изискване: от 2027 г. всеки разработчик на приложения за Android трябва да бъде централно регистриран в Google, за да може софтуерът му да се инсталира на което и да е устройство. Не става въпрос само за приложения от Google Play Магазин, а за всички приложения. В това число влизат приложения, изпратени от приятели, разпространени през F-Droid, създадени от хоби разработчици за лична употреба. Всички независими разработчици, обществени и църковни групи и любители ще изгубят възможността да разработват и разпространяват софтуера си.
За регистрация е необходимо следното:
- Да се плати такса на Google
- Да се приемат Общите условия на Google
- Да се предоставят собствени официални лични документи
- Да се предостави доказателство за вашия частен ключ за разработчик
- Да се посочат всички текущи и бъдещи идентификатори на приложения
Ако разработчикът не се съгласи, приложенията му ще бъдат блокирани без известие на всяко устройство с Android навсякъде по света.
Кой страда от това
Вие
Когато сте си купили телефон с Android, сте очаквали да имате отворена система, в която можете да инсталирате каквото поискате. Това беше обещанието на Google.
Сега Google променя сделката със задна дата и то за устройства, които вече притежавате. След минаването на актуализацията ще можете да използвате само софтуер, който е предварително одобрен от Google. На вашия телефон, който вие притежавате и за който вие сте платили.
Независими разработчици
Няма значение дали ще става въпрос първото приложение на тийнейджър, инструмент за запазване на поверителността на доброволец, или за поверителна вътрешна бета версия на компания. През 2027 г. нищо от това няма да може да се инсталира без благословията на Google.
Според F-Droid, където се намират хиляди безплатни приложения за Android с отворен код, това е „екзистенциална заплаха“. Cory Doctorow го нарича „Darth Android“.
Правителствата и гражданските общества
Google има документирани случаи, в които е изпълнявал исканията на авторитарни режими, когато става въпрос за премахването на приложения. Когато тази програма влезе в сила, софтуерът, който се използва от институциите във вашата държава, ще бъде зависим от решенията на една чуждестранна корпорация, която не подлежи на законовите изисквания на държавата ви.
Фондация „Електронна граница“ (EFF) нарича тази форма на ограничаване на приложенията „непрестанно разширяващ се път към цензурата в интернет“."
„Резервният вариант“ на Google е всъщност капан
Google твърди, че „power users“ (напреднали потребители) „могат да продължат да инсталират“ непроверени приложения. Ето как всъщност изглежда това:
- Ровите се в системните настройки, намирате опциите за разработчици
- Докосвате номера на компилацията седем пъти, за да активирате режима за разработчици
- Потвърждавате, че действате по собствено желание
- Въвеждате PIN кода си
- Рестартирате устройството
- Изчаквате 24 часа
- Връщате се и минавате още няколко изскачащи прозореца
- Избирате „Разрешаване временно“ (7 дни) или „Разрешаване за постоянно“
- Отново потвърждавате, че сте наясно с „рисковете“
Девет стъпки и задължителен 24-часов период на изчакване. За да инсталирате софтуер на устройство, което притежавате.
По-лошото: Този процес се извършва изцяло през Google Play Services, не през операционната система Android. Google може да го промени, да го ограничи или да го спре, когато пожелае, като за целта не е нужна актуализация на операционната система.
Това е по-голямо от Android
Ако Google има способността със задна дата да заключи милиарди устройства, които са били продадени като отворени платформи, това ще ангажира вниманието на всеки голям производител по света.
Така се установява нов принцип: компанията, която е произвела устройството ви, има силата след като сте го купили да вземе решение какъв софтуер можете да използвате на него. В света на софтуера това се нарича „rug pull“ (неочаквана тотална промяна на правилата), но поне винаги съществуваше възможността да инсталирате конкурентен софтуер. В света на хардуера това обаче ви изправя пред свършен факт, след който нямате ходове и не можете да противодействате на хрумванията на един доказан монополист, който не допуска свободен достъп и не може да бъде подведен под отговорност.
Отвореният характер на Android никога не е бил просто особеност. Той беше обещанието, което го разграничаваше от iPhone и милиони потребители избираха Android точно поради тази причина. С действията си Google сега нарушава едностранно това обещание на устройства, които вече са в джобовете на потребителите, защото са решили, че имат достатъчно доминираща позиция на пазара и влияние върху регулаторите, за да го направят без последствия.
Ars Technica: „Завистта на Google към Apple заплашва да унищожи наследството на Android като отворена операционна система.“
Добре, но това не е ли...
„...само за нашата сигурност?“
Обяснението за сигурността е само пясък в очите. Google Play Protect вече извършва сканиране за злонамерен софтуер без значение от идентичността на разработчика. Изискването на официален документ за самоличност няма да направи кода по-безопасен, но за сметка на това прави разработчиците по-лесни за идентифициране и контрол. Създателите на злонамерен софтуер могат да се регистрират. Инди разработчиците и дисидентите често нямат тази възможност. Фондацията „Електронна граница“ *(EFF) има недвусмислена позиция: системата за идентификация е инструмент за цензура, а не за сигурност.
„...същото като инсталиране на външни приложения, просто със следване на разширената процедура?“
Девет стъпки, 24-часов период на изчакване, ровене в настройки за разработчици и всичко това през собствена услуга, която Google може да анулира по всяко време. Това не е същото като инсталиране на външни приложения, а е възпиращ механизъм, който е така разработен, че да гарантира, че почти никой няма да го ползва. И понеже работи през Play Services, а не в рамките на операционната система, Google винаги може тихомълком да го ограничи или спре.
„...проблем само ако имаш какво да криеш?“
Информаторите, журналистите и активистите срещу авторитарно управление ще бъдат първите жертви на тази промяна. Ще ги последват хората, които са жертви на домашно насилие. Всички тези групи имат основателни причини да разпространяват или използват софтуер, без да въвеждат данните за идентичността си в база данни на Google. Приносът от анонимни потребители към отворен код е традиция, по-стара от самия Google. Тази политика ще убие всичко това на Android.
„...същото, което и Apple прави?“
Apple е затворена система от самото начало. Android беше избиран от потребителите, защото беше различен. „Apple прави същото“ е напълно безпредметен слаб аргумент, който само отнема вината от правилното място. А благодарение на натиска от регулаторите (Закона за дигиталните пазари на ЕС) дори Apple е принуден да работи по-отворено. За сметка на това Google се е насочил в обратната посока с опити да затвърди контрола си върху достъпа.
„...просто 25 долара и малко документи?“
Може би не е нещо особено за разработчик в САЩ, който има кредитна карта и собствен автомобил. Съвсем различно е обаче за един студент в Африка, или за дисидент в Мианмар, или за доброволец, който се грижи за здравно приложение за общността си. Цената не се измерва само във финансова величина. Давате данните от официалния си документ за самоличност и предоставяте доказателства за частния си ключ на компания, която редовно изпълнява исканията на различни правителства за премахване на приложения и разкриване на информация за разработчиците им.
Как да се противопоставим
За всички
- Инсталирайте F-Droid на всяко устройство с Android, което притежавате. Алтернативните магазини за приложения ще оцелеят само ако има хора, които ги използват.
- Свържете се със своите представители в регулаторните комисии. Регулаторите по света са наистина загрижени за ефекта от монопола и централизирането на властта в технологичния сектор. Те приветстват обратна връзка от хора, които са потърпевши и имат свои притеснения.
- Споделяйте тази страница. Изпращайте навсякъде връзката към keepandroidopen.org.
- Борете се с опитите за манипулиране на общественото мнение. Все по-често се срещат мнения от рода на „От гледна точка на Google...“. Не им позволявайте да изменят фокуса.
- Подпишете петицията в change.org и станете част от другите 100 000 подписали.
- Прочетете и споделяйте нашето отворено писмо.
- Кажете на Google какво мислите за това, като използвате тяхната анкета за изискванията за проверка на разработчиците на Android (колкото и да е глас в пустинята).
За разработчиците
НЕ УЧАСТВАЙТЕ. Не се присъединявайте към програмата и не се записвайте в Android Developer Console. Не приемайте техните Общи условия, от които няма да можете после да се откажете. Не потвърждавайте самоличността си. Не играйте по свирката им.
Планът на Google ще сработи само ако разработчиците се подчинят. Не го правете.
- Опитайте се да разубедите другите разработчици и организации около себе си да не се включват в програмата.
- Добавете библиотеката FreeDroidWarn към приложенията си, за да предупредите потребителите.
- Имате уебсайт? Добавете банера с обратно отброяване.
За служители на Google
Ако знаете нещо, свързано с техническото осъществяване на програмата или вътрешна информация, пишете на tips@keepandroidopen.org от неслужебно устройство и акаунт, който не е на Gmail. Поверителността на вашата информация ще бъде строго защитена.
Всички, които са против…
71 организации от 23 държави са подписали отвореното писмо
FACiL facil.qc.ca
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
Techlore techlore.tech
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
iodé iode.tech
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
FUTO futo.org
F-Droid f-droid.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
April april.org
Proton AG proton.me
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Data Rights datarights.ngo
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
Italian Linux Society ils.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
Brave brave.com Тук можете да прочетете цялото отворено писмо и да благодарите на подписалите се →
Какво казват хората
Технологични медии
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"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
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"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 project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Keep Android Open"
Linux 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
Коментари и анализи
"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
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"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's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"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 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
"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
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Innovation may be the biggest casualty in all of this. This new rule erodes your right to make informed decisions about your own devices."
MakeUseOf
"Google 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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"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
"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
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"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
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
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
"This policy represents a dramatic departure from Android's decades-old tradition of openness, in which developers could build and share apps freely without first submitting to a centralized authority."
Biometric Update
"Google 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
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
"Although Google's claim is that this is for 'security', it does not prevent the regular practice of scammers buying up existing verified developer accounts."
Maya Posch, Hackaday
"The 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
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
Организации и отворени писма
"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
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"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
"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
"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
"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'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
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"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
"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
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"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
"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
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"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
"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 is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"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
"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
"If it were to be put into effect, the developer registration decree will end the F-Droid project and other free/open source app distribution sources as we know them today."
F-Droid
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"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
Ютубъри и създатели на съдържание
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
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
"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
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"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 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
"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 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
"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 decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google is 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
"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
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
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
"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
"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
Разработчици и от общността
"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
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"If your country is ever in the crosshairs of 'American interests' and bears the brunt of its sanctions, it is possible that you cannot install apps from your fellow citizens. Your own local government, bank, and store apps."
devsda, Hacker News
"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
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, 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
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, 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
"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
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"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
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"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
"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
"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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, 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
"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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"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
"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
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
Мнения от петицията
"hell yea stop google "
Lewis, 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
"I will dtop uding Android if this is beeing implemented "
Cederick, change.org
"We have the right to choose what apps we want to use or not to use leave it alone "
DENNIS, change.org
"Show us a reason to use Android over iOS. It is this bit of freedom that makes us choose Android. Without it, we might as well save up for Apple products, which are solid, but less choice. It is the choice that makes Android worth looking at. "
J, change.org
"Google and all of the human tech industry companies are trying to squeeze the freedom and very life from all of the people globally. Enough is enough. "
Justin, change.org
"Let's go! Google can be based if we all pray together. "
james, change.org
"Android, please do not become like Apple os, doing that, you are changing the best thing you have, thats the user having Freedom to do whatever they want "
Pedro, change.org
"The main reason I use Android products at all is for their modability. To require ID verification just invades the privacy of app developers and does absolutely nothing to protect Android users. At this point, what would make Android products any different from Apple? This is completely unacceptable; this will end up hurting more people than it does help. "
Elise, change.org
"Android's freedom of choice is what made me switch from apple. I find that limiting that those freedoms such as sideloading an obnoxious spit in the face of all who use and enjoy this operating system. If I wanted an anti consumer product id buy from apple. "
Link, change.org
"This would severely limit any reason I have to use a google certified android phone. Without the ability to easily support open source developers and tinker with my own projects -- the android phone would cease to be my "daily driver". These are our computers, and we should be able to install what we want on them. It's disrespectful to take that right away. Please reconsider removing your hardware's greatest and most consumer friendly strength in the mobile market. "
Kedryn, change.org
"Stop this bullshit of trying to control our lives, deciding what I can and can't do. Enough with planned obsolescence, enough with authoritarianism. I, and only I, decide what's best for me, what I can and can't download on MY PHONE. "
Leonardo, 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
"Sick and tired of Google's garbage. "
Gabriel, change.org
"I use sideloading on Android pretty much daily at this point, the idea of not being able to do anything I want with the phone that I'VE BOUGHT with MY OWN MONEY is just sick. I hope this petition has enough Signatures to make a change "
JOAO, change.org
"Android has always been the superior product because it has allowed it's users the ability to customize their phones and download what they want. To take that away would make you no better than Apple "
Mike, change.org
"The whole reason I keep going with Android phones is the ability to side load whatever apps I want to make the experience exactly what I want it it be. I have been using pixel phones for years because of the clean boat free experience out of the box but without the ability to download third party apk's the core thing that keeps me coming back to Android instead of iOS with be gone "
Boris, 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
"Big tech companies are more and more trying to restrict users and make them use their services. Anti-competitive practices are bad for the market and for the end user, so i definitely DO NOT support what google is doing. "
QByte, change.org
"Google wants developers to pay them a fee even though it has nothing to do with them. Also I own my phone I get to decide what's on it not Google. I'm also cancelling all Google subscriptions because I don't want to support this company anymore. "
alex, change.org
"I despise ALPHABET's manipulative and self-serving gestures, toward gate-keeping OUR FREEDOMS and coyly investing themselves in THEIR PROMOTION, of our best intetests! 601=VC1 "
Ian, change.org
"Google locking downAPKs severely limits the Android operating system. At that point, it would be the exact same as Apple products. One of the primary draws for Android is its user experience, so keeping Android free and open is the best way to ensure user freedom. https://keepandroidopen.org "
Jordan, change.org
"The only reason I prefer Android over iOS is the freedom of sideloading apps. If you remove this feature, lots of users (including me) will no longer have a reason to use Android instead of iOS. Also, isn't Google Play Protect enough to protect users from malware? Besides, sideloading is disabled by default unless you manually enable it in settings. You can add warnings and scan APKs, but please don't block them entirely. "
IPVG, change.org
"Google is going to ruin what they built and turn into Apple. "
Abnormal Software, change.org
"Google has their own line of phones already. If people wanted Google to have this level of power over them, they would buy the devices the company is selling. This is simply trying to create a monopoly, if not a universe in which a company holds more power than any government, and I think we all know that that is no good outcome. This is a direct attempt to hinder people's creative freedom and ability to share their own projects with the world, whether it's a fun game, or a useful tool, anything. A policy like this has to go. "
Lucy, change.org
"As a former iOS dev, this move by Google sickens me. Android is the last major mobile OS that allows for open source development. Paying to become a "verified developer" is anti-consumer and anti-competitive. Google should be ashamed! This will allow them to introduce the same planned obsolescence the Apple uses to keep their users buying new phones when the latest OS isn't compatible with their phone. Users installing apps via 3rd party fully understand the risks. Corporate overreach won't "protect" anyone. We are not stupid Google! Stop treating us like sheep who don't know any better! "
Danielle, change.org
"I want to be able to load any arbitrary APK onto my own phone. I should not be limited or made so suffer in any way because some bad actors take advantage of naive people who act irresponsibly. It is my choice to install my own software or F-Droid or anything. Taking that choice away means Android has no value to me as a product. "
Seamus, change.org
"Google get out of MY phone! "
Mauro, change.org
"This decision is about maximizing revenue. And it is Google's near monopoly they are leveraging to do it, despite the negatives for every other person and organisation. Forcing users out of Android with this decision only increases pressure for real alternatives to Android on the smartphone OS, and in the end is Google shooting themselves in the foot. Bit it hurts us too. It's cheaper and easier for everyone to maintain the status quo. Please don't do this, as it erases now decades of work by thousands (millions?) of developers around the world. "
Oliver, change.org
"I, as an Android user for 17 years, believe in, and chose Android for, device openness and the freedom of choice. To choose my device, the services I use, from where I download my applications, and to choose FOSS apps that don't require developer registration or sacrificing personal privacy by accepting trackers and/or unnecessary permissions being tied to my app usage. Choice and freedom is what built Android and differentiated it from other platforms, like iOS, Windows Mobile, and other early smartphone operating systems. The trend of destroying user choice through the inability to unlock bootloader and easily root devices, the effective and increasing destruction of the custom ROM community and options, and now the elimination of third party app stores that offer incredible FOSS apps with greater focus on user privacy is one more step Google and Android are taking towards an undesirable ecosystem for many of us who still choose Android for its few remaining, and quickly disappearing, advantages. The argument that Google is requiring developer registration and restricting the ability of alternative app stores, like F-Droid, to continue to thrive as legitimate and worthwhile options is anti-consumer and isn't to protect users. Rather, it's to give users and consumers less control over their devices and data and, in my opinion, that is unacceptable. "
Roger, change.org
"my friend told me to sign it so i did "
Ethan, change.org
"Android's philosophy was based on openness. Google wants to take your freedom. They disguise it as security updates, but in reality, they want to rake even more profits and take control of your personal freedom. "
Tyler, change.org
"Я считаю, что запрет на установку неизвестных файлов является произвольным ограничением моей личной свободы. Такой запрет лишает меня возможности самостоятельно выбирать программы и приложения, которые я считаю нужными, и тем самым ущемляет мои гражданские права — право на свободный доступ к информации, свободу выбора и безопасный цифровой опыт. Я прошу отменить этот запрет, чтобы каждый пользователь мог самостоятельно решать, какие файлы устанавливать, без необоснованных ограничений со стороны государства или компании. "
Павел, change.org
"I am genuinely angry about what Google is trying to do by limiting APK usage. This is not some tiny background tweak. This cuts straight into the reason many of us chose Android in the first place. Android meant freedom. It meant I could install what I wanted. It meant developers could share their work without kneeling before a single approval system. It meant that when I bought my phone, it was actually mine. We keep hearing that this is about “security.” And yes, security matters. Nobody wants malware. But there is a real difference between protecting users and controlling them. Give people warnings. Give them tools. Educate them. Do not take away their ability to choose. I am an adult, fully willing and capable of deciding what I install on my own device. When APK usage is restricted, everything narrows. Developers get pushed into one official channel. One review process. One company deciding what is acceptable and what is not. That kind of centralized control should make all of us uncomfortable. It changes the balance of power, and it does it under the soft language of safety and convenience. This is about ownership. If I cannot freely install apps, do I truly own my device? Or am I just using it within boundaries that can shift whenever it best suits a corporation? I hardly think it is extreme to say that when I pay for hardware, I should have complete control over what runs on it. That is not radical. That is basic digital autonomy. And I am not okay with watching that autonomy slowly disappear without saying something. "
Brooke, change.org
"Android should be free; it was supposed to be the hero of free or open-source applications. "
Alan, change.org
"As a user, Stop it. Android is cool for openness: you close it, we'll leave "
Nicolò, change.org
"Android, if you are going to be just like Apple, I think many might as well just switch to Apple devices..... Please reconsider "
Kaleonahe, 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
"The Google need to stop "
ghost, change.org
"To late to close pandoras box. This is why we have all been android users. Apple sucks don't be apple. "
Jenni, change.org
"Mobile devices have become such integral, personalized focal points in our lives over the last few decades, but not everyone uses their devices the same way. Having the choice of what software we choose to use and where to install from has been a key part of Android since its beginning and has been an important keystone of consumer choice. Removing those choices and putting up barriers to entry for development would be a huge blow to consumer rights. "
Scott, 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
"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
"Goggle shouldn't limit our freedoms on our own devices for any reason "
Tristin, 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
"Sadly, this is yet another corporate power grab. The intentions behind this initiative don't make any sense (e.g. protecting users) unless you view it through the lens of corporate chokehold on user freedoms. I've been using android for many years because it was the only platform that allowed freedom for power users and this will change soon if the company doesn't change its posture. "
Jaime, 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
"keeping android open enables far more indie studios to continue to operate on android, and thats what i love, i love finding the most random game, and not having to worry about if its on one store or the other, i can just download it keep it open, please "
Evan, change.org
"I own the hardware and will choose the software to suit my needs. not the needs of big tech. "
stuart, change.org
"As an Android user in Australia, I'm deeply concerned about what this policy means for consumers worldwide. When I purchased my Android device, I chose it because of its openness and freedom. Google is now unilaterally revoking that promise with a forced update — without consent, without recourse, and without accountability. This isn't just a developer issue. It affects every person who believes they should have the right to control their own device. I've already contacted the ACCC and my local MP, and I urge others to do the same. We cannot let a single corporation decide what software we are permitted to trust. "
Kaito, change.org
"This change would essentially make android comparable to iOS in the sense of the restricted amount of freedom we have over the operating system and how we want the operating system to function. This will also result in a constant battle between new "crackers" trying to find ways to spoof the signature system and Google patching the spoofs to keep the system restricted. This is not for security, this is corporate control over a dominating service they can milk for profit and add to their greed "
Simon, change.org
"Someone alert the attorney's on the ongoing case with Epic Games that Google found a way to try and skirt court orders. I'm sure the judge will be extremely pleased to have been ignored, as they make this change and claim it's somehow not the opposite of what they were told to do. "
Nicholas, change.org
"Privacy is important! "
Kyle, change.org
"The entire reason I have stuck with Android phones until now was my ability to INSTALL apps outside of the play store—key word install, not sideload. Even using that term is brainwashed lingo. A phone is just as much of a computer as a PC is, and I should be allowed to download whatever I want on a device a pay for. Especially when, in some cases, a laptop can be cheaper than a phone these days. This has always been a meaningful feature to me. Then there is the fact of censorship & creating a hostile environment for smaller dev teams. Having to pay a fee to Google, having to disclose IDs (this is also counterproductive to privacy focused apps). Any application that Google deems unfit, they can rip from the store. The 3rd party stores that Google will "let us" download from are no different from the Play Store. All those developers will still be subject to what Google is doing. If Android is going to become reskinned IOS, I would rather move to Apple. It's better optimized with many apps that absolutely DO NOT function near as well on Android or get updates way later than Apple. It's a smoother, cleaner product. Though, truly, I want to go to Motorola as they are planning to work with GrapheneOS which is privacy & security focused (which Google isn't! And this move is not making Android more secure!) These practices are anti-consumer AND anti-competition. Monopolistic, dirty practices. It's shameful that Google is still trying to act like they are an "open" system in the slightest while they actively shut out our ability to—again, INSTALL applications on our phone, which is essentially just a computer in our hands. Imagine if Windows did this, or even a Macbook. The free world is about having free choice, and this isn't that. I will absolutely be moving away from Android if this changes take effect. In the meantime, I'll take my in-app purchases to the actual websites behind them, use F-Droid & various places to download APKs to update in place of the Play Store. This is abhorent. TL;DR: Google is awful, hates consumer and developer freedoms, & yearns for censorship and growing it's monopolistic empire. I will be moving to any other phone if this happens. "
Jaden, change.org
"If a company wants to be THE company in everyone's life, they better offer something that everyone wants. ...otherwise, give use the freedom to choose something that is. "
Achi, change.org
"Google, which has long positioned itself as a defender of freedom on the internet, now seems to be taking worrying steps by trying to limit the installation of apps outside of the Google Play Store. This move not only restricts users' freedom of choice, but also centralizes even more power in the hands of a single corporation, creating a closed and controlled environment. By forcing developers to comply with its rules and fees, Google eliminates the possibility of cheaper or even free alternatives, making the Android ecosystem more restricted and expensive. Moreover, this decision goes against the very essence of Android, which has always been based on freedom of customization and access. It's a setback for users who seek greater control over their devices and privacy. Limiting app installations outside the Play Store is not just a matter of convenience, but a matter of respecting user autonomy. "
Júnior, change.org
"I switched to android specifically because I felt like it was truly a device I OWNED. I used Apple in the past but hated the amount of features that were gate kept. Having the ability to download open source apps on my android device has reshaped the way I use my phone and has made my workflows significantly better. This new change will not only completely destroy the open source ecosystem I've become accustomed to, but will actively turn away myself, and Android's main user base. What's the point of ruining your reputation and the only real reason to own an android device? "
Steven, change.org
"As a developer, stop! This is the only reason I used Android and didn't have to jailbreak and root it. Making this change under the guise of security amounts to manipulation, lying, deceiving your customers, and taking away their rights to use their device in their way. Mark my words, rooting will become popular again and I will personally be at the forefront of actively working against you and your goals. I cannot agree with such blatant bad faith arguments and poor reasoning. You assume most people aren't developers and too stupid to see through this. You want more money by any means necessary no matter how angry people get. Android was supposed to be an open ecosystem and now you're actively anti-consumer. It's disgusting. "
CARLOS, change.org
"I only bought an Android just for the custom APKs part. If I have to buy an entirely new phone for the slightest bit of sideloading, I will. "
Robert, change.org
"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
"The only reason I have a Samsung is because my VTuber software is an open-source APK, and I doubt Google will approve it then the restriction happens. "
Jesse, change.org
"Android's main strength and opportunity in the S. W. O. T analysis is it's openness, which no other OS comes close to. From one side of the earth to the other, android users justifiably expect this unique strength to be enhanced, not diminished. Indeed, this unique feature which has set android apart from the beginning, has also motivated many in the community to become developers. There are even developers for apps on the Apple store whose beginnings were with android. These developers benefited from the openness android provides. For example, Toni Fingerroos — Hill Climb Racing / Fingersoft (Finland), Andrei Popleteev — KeePassium (Luxembourg), and many more. "
Schwan, change.org
"To put it simply it's wrong all of it. The idea that we are so untrustworthy with our own devices that we need this level of invasion/ surveillance implemented to satisfy their idea of safety is laughable. The online tech community is amazing and free to make any kind of customization to their own devices that they bought and paid for. And let's be honest there have been so many questionable decisions already based on security and safety that Google is no longer completely trustworthy. We should still be able to have the choice to use our own customizable apps/systems on our own personal devices. None of this feels safe, none of these changes feel like they have our safety in mind. "
Charles, change.org
"I stayed away from smart phones in the early days because they were locked down. It was only after I saw that Android was an open platform that I was willing to even try one. If Google locks down Android, then I will either switch to a basic feature phone, with no data (suits me fine, mobile data is ridiculously expensive), or I will hack together a Linux phone. What's the point in having Android if it just turns in to a.aecond-rate iOS? "
William, 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
"Having less autonomy over how we use our devices doesn't make us safer, it just makes us more subject to corporate control. I'm not here for that. "
Eleanor, change.org
"I bought an android phone specifically so I wouldn't be chained to the play store like on iOS. If there's no choice in the matter, I might as well get an iPhone again. "
Audrey, 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
"Android giving users choice has been the staple point of android OS. Removing choices like sideloading apps is not the correct move instead Google should be helping ways to improve Android and allow developers to make it better. "
Ava, change.org
"Android has been the bastion for users who did not want to accept companies deciding what we do with our devices, it is imperative that users are granted the freedom of choice to install any software they wish, and to develop software to innovate and solve issues that Google or its partners decide is not worth their time. "
Hassan, 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
"I've been the victim of identify theft and attempted payment fraud through the old Google Wallet platform. Thankfully my bank caught it, but when I disputed the charges Google insisted they were authorized, messing up my finances by having nearly $1500 drop out of my account for a week while I insisted I didnt transfer large amounts to random addresses. Ultimately, my bank sided with me, and despite being provided with police reports and dispute reports Google still wanted the transactions to go through. The consequence I received for not wanting to have money stolen from me is that Google has suspended payments for my account across all their services. I cannot buy apps from the Play Store or anything else requiring a payment even a decade later. Luckily some developers will take payment directly for the few apps that I have ended up needing to buy, and FDroid or other alternatives have given me a lot more choices to Google's ecosystem. You have to get creative when the corporation won't let you participate. Despite these hardships I still prefer Android's openness to iOS. Google should not fundamentally lock out alternatives. "
Dominic, change.org
"Only reason I use android instead of iOS. Don't take it away from us. "
Robert, change.org
"SKYNET HAS INITIATED WWIII :( "
Daniel Alberto, change.org
"Without Youtube Revanced on my android phone in september 2026 i have to use official youtube and i hate it when google wants to make more money and everything and will have to kill the apk files ive enjoyed for a long time, even lucky patcher app owners will have to use their money on their favorite app to waste money and so much more...and by the news of the google update it makes me upset and angry about it. Im standing up to prove who i am and will be using youtube revanced app instead of official youtube app for people like me, i will never give up and will protest with other android users who are against google for our glory. #FreeAndroid #JusticeForAndroid #MakeGoogleGoneForever "
Leland, 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
"This was why I didn't use iphones "
Greg, change.org
"Hands off the APK! I left Russia for Freedom in 2022 and now you trying to restrict our Freedom like a criminal Putin. "
Alex, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom, let's not change that "
Gabriel, change.org
"This is a spit in the face of open-source and Android's userbase. "
Mark, change.org
"If this is implemented I will be abandoning the Google sphere and moving my data over to Apple. I have already signed up for an Apple ID and I am good to go if/when this happens. I will drop android and all associated subscriptions and spend my money at Apple. Goodbye Google. It was a good run 2009 to 2026. "
Scott, change.org
"The main reason I bought a Pixel was for the freedom of installing whatever I want, but If this is taken away, they would be taking the only reason many people buy their devices. "
Jjr, change.org
"I resent Google trying to invade, record and control more and more of my life. My enthusiasm for tech has really fallen off a cliff over the past 10 years and it just continues to fall. I've continued to move more of my activities to a self-hosted environment to preserve my sanity, information and preferences as mainstream services continue to change for the worse. "
Leah, change.org
"You are BETRAYING the loyal users who went against the social hype crowd and went with Android over Apple because of your damn promises of keeping Android as an open platform!! I never purchased an iPhone because of the locked OS and refused to purchase the first iPhone when it was released and instead went for the G Droid!! DO YOU A**HOLES REALIZE HOW MUCH WE WERE LAUGHED AT, LOOKED DOWN ON, CUT OUT OF GROUP CHATS WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY, BEING THE BUTT OF THE GREEN BUBBLE JOKES, BEING TOLD "EWWW GREEN BUBBLES!!" "ARE YOU POOR? NO WHY? YOU HAVE THE GREEN BUBBLES AND THAT MEANS YOU CAN'T AFFORD AN IPHONE" AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD END AS WE BECAME ADULTS BUT NO IT STILL HAPPENED TO US!!! AFTER ALL OUR LOYAL SUPPORT OVER DECADES THE THANKS WE GET IS YOU UNGRATEFUL A**HOLES TURNING ON US WITH THIS GARBAGE? AS IF WE'RE TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO KEEP SAFE WHILE USING OUR ANDROID DEVICES? I PRAY THOSE ANTITRUST LAWSUITS SPLIT YOUR COMPANY INTO PIECES!! IF IT HAPPENS TO GO THROUGH THERE IS LITERALLY NO MORE REASON TO STAY ON ANDROID AND I WILL HAPPILY GO TO APPLE AT LEAST THEY DON'T LIE AND YOU KNOW THEY'RE OS IS LOCKED!! "
Armen, change.org
"Dystopian, unaccountable corporate control and rug pulling. "
Ethan, change.org
"This is an attempt to stifle free and open development because that development has created avenues that subvert Google's bottom line. People are becoming tired of being the product and have the right to their privacy- but Google belives they have a right to force people to become said product by limiting where and how they use their devices. Buzz-words like "a more secure ecosystem" are used to hide their true initiative: their bottom line. Ironically, this corse of action may become the driving force that pushes Linux phones into full maturity, thus amputating the open-source-development community as revenue. I don't subsidize my mobile device purchases so that I may have full control over what I can do with them. Upon this move, I will gladly suffer the inconvenience of a less-mature operating system or less-developed device over a walled garden built by greed mascurading under the guise of "This is what will be best for everyone." "
Jake, 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
"Everything about this software/app lock out is beyond wrong. So is age verification. It is all beyond dystopian. George Orwell is spinning in his grave. My wife works in a major hospital and that hospital is already in a major panic because they have internal apps that can not be put out to apps stores for major security reasons. They have no idea what they are going to do when these apps stop working and can not be installed, used or updated because of these dystopian lockouts (i.e. blocking non app stores' apps from being installed; not to mention the major security risks of age verification). The app monitors many vital operations and medical equipment across three major medical facilities in the same hospital network; among branch facilities. It alerts staff and is used for many areas of communications in the hospital network. If this app can no longer be integrated into the hospital's operations network, the entirety of the hospital's facilities shuts down. I'm sure that if the hospital at which my wife works uses internal apps, then there are many other medical facilities that do also. A neighbor that I check on daily uses an app for necessary medical reasons. This app is not and will never be in any app store. Her doctors and the company that makes the device for thousands of people are in a panic. They can't just put this control/monitoring app out there. They would have to redesign the device's entire system and it could take several years. Plus, there are the major security risks. A friend has advanced diabetes and has a monitoring device stuck in his arm. The monitoring/alert app comes from the device manufacturer and not any app store. I also use medical apps that are not in any app store. I am also diabetic (not as badly as my friend) and disabled. There are several other people in my area that depend on medical apps that are not in any app store and are ONLY provided through a medical facility or medical device manufacturer. These companies do not put these apps out to these app stores for anyone to get their hands on for security reasons. If someone malicious got their hands on these medical device control apps, tampered with it, and re-uploaded it for patients to then obtain, thousands of patients could die. What am I and all these people that depend on proprietary and device specific medical apps across the country going to do when our apps/devices can't be installed or updated and just stop working? These dystopian app lock outs and the risks of age verification will put millions of peoples lives on the line and will have biblical level consequences. This all needs to stop immediately! "
John, change.org
"I chose Android for the very reason of it being open and letting me run whatever software I want. Don’t take that away after I’ve already bought my device. Millions of us chose Android for the exact reason of what you're trying to censor. Don’t lock it down because you think you know better. If I wanted a company deciding what I can or can’t do on my own device, I’d buy an iPhone instead. "
Paulo, change.org
"We can stand together to save Android and keep downloading what we love on our Android devices! "
Austin, change.org
"We need to keep Android open! "
Caleb, change.org
"Please don't let Google screw us over with this now! I hope we win and they don't do this! "
Saul, change.org
"If this update is released, I will switch to iPhone. "
Miguel, change.org
"Hello, I have been using Android my whole life, and I have always disliked iOS because of how locked down its operating system is. Recently, I have heard that Google may want to lock down Android and restrict third-party creators, and that is very concerning. Android’s openness is one of its biggest strengths. Not everyone can afford the cost and requirements to publish apps on the Google Play Store, and many independent developers rely on the ability to distribute apps outside of it. Android is also the largest operating system worldwide, and many devices such as the Meta Quest depend on Android and their own app stores. Locking down Android could create major problems for these platforms and users. As someone who plans to create and upload Android applications in the near future, this kind of change would be very limiting and would hurt creativity and development. Please keep Android open, and do not turn it into a system like iOS. Thank you for your time. "
charlie, change.org
"if this goes ahead I will simply refuse to use Android and move to a linux 'phone. "
Graham, 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
"let's go, ! Keep Android alive! "
jorge, change.org
"Let's all join forces in this fight because freedom cannot be violated "
Fernando, change.org
"What Google wants to do is simply inhumane, simply unacceptable for those who use our beloved Android. "
Althe, change.org
"The last thing differentiating Android from iOS was the freedom to be different, to be a power user, to truly own the very device you hold in your hand. Taking that away not only strips Android of its identity, it makes it just like iOS: locked down, useless, and incapable of serving the user. If you want to protect people, teach them how to protect themselves, don't be a helicopter parent to someone else's child. "
Evan, change.org
Всички препратки, коментари, статии в медиите и видеоклипове →