Your phone is about to stop being yours.
Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.
Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.
↓What Google is doing
In August 2025, Google announced ↗ a new requirement: starting September 2026, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid ↗, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.
Registration requires:
- Paying a fee to Google
- Agreeing to Google's Terms and Conditions
- Surrendering your government-issued identification
- Providing evidence of your private signing key
- Listing all current and all future application identifiers
If a developer does not comply, their apps get silently blocked on every Android device worldwide.
Who this hurts
You
You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was open. You could install what you wanted, and that was the deal.
Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you already own. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for.
Independent developers
A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. After September 2026, none of these can be installed without Google's blessing.
F-Droid ↗, home to thousands of free and open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat ↗. Cory Doctorow calls it "Darth Android" ↗.
Governments & civil society
Google has a documented track record ↗ of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.
The EFF calls ↗ app gatekeeping "an ever-expanding pathway to internet censorship."
Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door
Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:
- Delve into System Settings, find Developer Options
- Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
- Dismiss scare screens about coercion
- Enter your PIN
- Restart the device
- Wait 24 hours
- Come back, dismiss more scare screens
- Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
- Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"
Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.
Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed. And as of today, it hasn't shipped in any beta, preview, or canary build. It exists only as a blog post and some mockups.
This is bigger than Android
If Google can retroactively lock down billions of devices that were sold as open platforms, every hardware manufacturer on the planet is watching.
The principle being established: the company that made your device gets to decide, after you've bought it, what software you're allowed to run. In software, this is called a "rug pull"; but at least you could always install competing software. In hardware, it is a fait accompli that strips you of your agency and renders you powerless to the whims of a single unaccountable gatekeeper and convicted monopolist.
Android's openness was never just a feature. It was the promise that distinguished it from iPhone. Millions chose Android for exactly that reason. Google is now revoking that promise unilaterally, on devices already in people's pockets, because they've decided they have enough market dominance and regulatory capture to get away with it.
Ars Technica ↗: "Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy."
But wait, isn't this...
"...just about security?"
The security rationale is a smokescreen. Google Play Protect already scans for malware independent of developer identity. Requiring a government ID doesn't make code safer. It makes developers identifiable and controllable. Malware authors can register. Indie developers and dissidents often can't. The EFF ↗ is blunt: identity-based gatekeeping is a censorship tool, not a security one.
"...still sideloading if you use the advanced flow?"
Nine steps, 24-hour wait, buried in Developer Options, delivered through a proprietary service that Google can revoke whenever they want. That's not sideloading. That's a deterrence mechanism built to ensure almost nobody completes it. And since it runs through Play Services rather than the OS, Google can tighten or kill it silently.
"...only a problem if you have something to hide?"
Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists under authoritarian governments will be the first victims. People in domestic abuse situations are next. All these groups have legitimate reasons to distribute or use software without putting their legal identity in a Google database. Anonymous open-source contribution is a tradition older than Google itself. This policy ends it on Android.
"...the same thing Apple does?"
Apple has been a walled garden from day one. People chose Android because it was different. "Apple does it too" is a race to the bottom and a weak tu quoque argument. And under regulatory pressure (the EU's Digital Markets Act), even Apple is being forced to open up. Google is moving in the opposite direction: attempting to further entrench its gatekeeping status.
"...just $25 and some paperwork?"
Maybe, if you're a developer in the US with a credit card and a driver's license. Try being a student in sub-Saharan Africa, or a dissident in Myanmar, or a volunteer maintaining a community health app. The cost isn't only financial: you're surrendering government ID and evidence or 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…
66 organizations from 21 countries have signed the open letter
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
F-Droid f-droid.org
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Proton AG proton.me
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
Techlore techlore.tech
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
Brave brave.com
FOSDEM fosdem.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
April april.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
Unified Push unifiedpush.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
FUTO futo.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Data Rights datarights.ngo
Italian Linux Society ils.org
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
FULU Foundation fulu.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works What they're saying
Tech press
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot ↗
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog ↗
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers ↗
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India) ↗
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica ↗
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews ↗
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU ↗
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek ↗
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer ↗
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register ↗
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica ↗
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine ↗
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google ↗
"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 ↗
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf ↗
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic ↗
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register ↗
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News ↗
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot ↗
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear ↗
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register ↗
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines ↗
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday ↗
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net ↗
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek ↗
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine ↗
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt ↗
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge ↗
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld ↗
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina ↗
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U ↗
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer ↗
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek ↗
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek ↗
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide ↗
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation ↗
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police ↗
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack ↗
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines ↗
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews ↗
Editorials & analysis
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub ↗
"Android 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 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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI ↗
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.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 ↗
"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 ↗
"Innovation may be the biggest casualty in all of this. This new rule erodes your right to make informed decisions about your own devices."
MakeUseOf ↗
"Google's 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 ↗
Organizations & open letters
"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 ↗
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno ↗
"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 Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid ↗
"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 unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter ↗
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud ↗
"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 ↗
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU ↗
"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 ↗
"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 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 ↗
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid ↗
YouTubers & creators
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube ↗
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog ↗
"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube ↗
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube ↗
"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."
Techlore – YouTube ↗
"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 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 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 ↗
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog ↗
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube ↗
"This has obvious problems for non-Google operating systems like iodeOS, LineageOS, or BraxOS. Google Android will 'check in' with Google to verify the identity of the app and to validate the operating system."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals ↗
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
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 ↗
"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 decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog ↗
"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube ↗
"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 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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube ↗
Developers & community
"I 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 ↗
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News ↗
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News ↗
"I buy a device with my own money, which I supposedly then own, but then I need to ask some corporation permission to use it."
askonomm, Hacker News ↗
"Google has no right to be my parent. As long as I can't reject paternalism, I don't believe for a second this is done with the well-being of scam victims as the main priority."
gspr, Lobsters ↗
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes ↗
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News ↗
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy ↗
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, 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 ↗
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News ↗
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters ↗
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News ↗
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy ↗
"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."
specproc, Hacker News ↗
"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 ↗
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy ↗
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters ↗
"Making it harder makes it harder to treat ourselves. Software like AndroidAPS is unique. It's hard to find or very expensive and inferior in the proprietary market."
pimeys (diabetic user on life-critical medical software), Lobsters ↗
"Anyone else thinking this looks like a precursor to banning Signal and similar? 1) Put Google in control of what you can install. 2) Get Google to block it."
harry8, Hacker News ↗
"If the likes of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and others have their way, you will not own your computer; those companies will effectively own your computers."
RUs1729, Slashdot ↗
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News ↗
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, 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 ↗
"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 ↗
"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 ↗
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, 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's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters ↗
"The fundamental problem is that we are relying on the good graces of Google to keep Android open, despite the fact that it often runs contrary to their goals as a $4T for-profit behemoth. The 'don't be evil' days are very far behind us."
paxys, Hacker News ↗
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters ↗
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News ↗
Voices from the petition
"The promise was to have an open OS: a walled garden has always been seen as something negative where the supposed pros do NOT outweigh the cons, among them far too much power in the hands of one, central entity. And every time a stunt like this is attempted, it demonstrates how that simply shouldn't be allowed to ANYone. My phone is mine. Let me install whatever I like on it. "
Daniele, change.org ↗
"Android ain’t doing this if we can help it. They CEO types always getting greedy. Let’s keep Android as Android "
Nathanael, change.org ↗
"Google and Android have built their empire on the promise of letting users modify, adapt or change what they wish on their phone. Taking this incredibly backwards step from what defined their values for so many years is nothing but a slap in the face to all who have supported these companies over all these years. Changing the base use of devices for so many will have knock on effects for security, in disability or aged access and of course a complete abandonment of privacy in all users. Please share this far and wide as this is the opening act to the symphony of absolute control and forced compliance to a handful of Tech companies. "
Robert, change.org ↗
"I’m not sure how Google arrived at this decision. Android’s openness is the very foundation of its existence. If Android is no longer open, I think I would choose iOS for its more cohesive ecosystem. In reality, the Play Protect mechanism has very limited ability to guard against malicious software and does not improve the user experience. On the contrary, it would exacerbate the monopoly of the software ecosystem, add to the burden on individual developers and small gaming companies, and could be devastating to the entire ecosystem. I often download games from itch.io and useful tools from GitHub, and if this policy is implemented, these activities will no longer be convenient. Perhaps this is a fine example of Google’s contribution to a global anti-addiction mechanism for smartphones. "
Yi, change.org ↗
"I'm getting so sick of governments/ corporations thinking they can just take away our right to privacy online under the guise of "security", and the more they're able to get away with it, the more we'll see it happening. I'm not a developer and I barely use 3rd party apps, but that doesn't mean I won't fight for our ability to use our phones as we see fit "
Danielle, change.org ↗
"The core idea of Android and OSS is threatened. Android will no longer hold the offer of a unique opportunity of freedom for those feeling locked out of their own lives. It will join the likes of other mediocre technologies being force-fed to an unwilling population. This is not the way. "
Joy, change.org ↗
"Google is pushing for literally the antithesis of what android alaways promised to be and actually was. This is extremely concerning, it involves and affects ALL people, not just devs. If Google don't back down and the lock down actually happens, who knows how much would it take for them to also start deciding which apps you're ALLOWED to install on YOUR phone. This is the beginning of the path to total user control. WE HAVE TO ACT NOW. "
Raymundo Iván, 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 ↗
"I have been an Android user since smartphones became mainstream, and the primary reason I chose Android was the freedom it offers. Unlike other platforms, Android allows users to install applications from outside official stores, enabling innovation, experimentation, and personal control over our own devices. Over the years, I have used open-source applications from platforms like GitHub and F-Droid, many created by independent developers who may not have the resources—or the desire—to publish through centralized stores. In some cases, I have even modified open-source code to suit my personal needs and compiled my own versions of apps. This is not just a niche use case—it represents the very spirit of open computing. Requiring developers to submit personal identification and restricting distribution channels will disproportionately impact: Independent and open-source developers Users in region-restricted environments Applications that are no longer available on official stores This change does not just improve security—it introduces control over who is allowed to distribute software, fundamentally shifting Android away from being an open platform. If users are no longer free to install applications of their choice, Android devices risk becoming restricted ecosystems similar to closed platforms—where functionality is determined not by the user, but by a central authority. The ability to sideload apps is not a loophole—it is a defining feature of Android. Removing or weakening it undermines user autonomy, developer freedom, and the very reason many of us chose this platform in the first place. "
Eranga, change.org ↗
"We all have the right to contract unlimited. As free people. If Google controllers Android then that's peonage making Android users slaves, in a life that is so dependent around our phones!!!! "
Larry, change.org ↗
"Assuming Google is acting in good faith, they should respect users' intelligence and not lock down APK usage into a heavily regulated part of the internet. "
Noah, change.org ↗
"Security is important, but it's not the same as control. They close doors to developers and users. I personally use Android precisely because of the free installation of APKs. For this, I prefer to use iOS. "
Dilan Giovanny, change.org ↗
"The sole reason one would choose Android over Apple was because Android uniquely treated their users as Users, not Customers, or Idiots. To take the very core ethos of what appealed to consumers and destroy it in some short-sighted power-grab is insane. "
Josh, change.org ↗
"I use Android phones rather than iphones because it allows for more user end control, including the ability to use/install open-source apk. If the choice is made to restrict this functionality, my next phone will not be an android. "
Rebecca, change.org ↗
"APKs are the lifeblood of Android's open ecosystem. They let developers distribute apps outside the Play Store, free from Google's 30% cut and arbitrary takedown policies. They give users in underserved regions access to apps unavailable in their country's store. They power the emulation community, open-source projects, and beta testers who help improve software before it reaches the masses. When Google restricts APK usage through warnings, permission walls, or outright blocks, it quietly dismantles the very openness that made Android worth choosing over iOS in the first place. It punishes legitimate users for the sins of bad actors, while determined bad actors find workarounds anyway. "
AJ, 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 ↗
"The freedom of android is what makes me not think about moving to another system such as ios, which could be lost depending on what Google decides, the charm of android is this for me. "
José Antônio, change.org ↗
"APKs are literally the backbone of everything android. Schools who develop android apps as a class will be out of luck. Please keep android open. "
Zachary, change.org ↗
"I've always like Google for supporting open source. If Google doesn't not support open source who will? Come Google please keep being advocate of open source. I don't mind all the tracking Google does as long as they support open source "
allan, change.org ↗
"We need spaces where independents can still create and choose freely based on their own values and needs. Kindly leave us that! "
m, change.org ↗
"Keep the Android system free, that's what made me buy an Android phone in the first place, if Google goes through with this it means we're not going to be allowed to install whatever app we as consumers have the right to install. "
Lautaro, change.org ↗
"Google, as a US based company, is trying to seize control over who can and who cannot create applications for Android. If you purchase a phone, you should be able to use it however you see fit. But now, if you want to develop a simple app for your daily use or for a small project that doesn't strictly align with Google or the US government's agenda, you could be denied the right to install it and even persecuted or doxxed. "
Ivan, change.org ↗
"This is not just a threat for programmers and startups but a threat to existing programmers/Co's. they intend to possibly blacklist. No different conceptually than the game they are playing against journalists currently as we have all seen being done. Accepting this type of centralized control says you support fascism and censorship type tactics and exploitative mechanisms that create monopolies at it's core roots. "
Eric, change.org ↗
"I paid for the computer, its mine, I should be able to put whatever I want on it. I hate google, I will be removing every google associated anything from my life because of their continued abuse. "
Brenden, change.org ↗
"Installing APKs has been one of the strongest points of Android. Erasing it will lead to Android losing users, Android becoming a same-same with Apple and destroy its reputation. Think twice before making this change, it can be the start of Android's downfall. "
Lautaro, change.org ↗
"Keep android free and open or a lot of people will revolt. Developers and users alike. Don't be horrible. Keep it open. "
Gregory, change.org ↗
"Sideloading is not a term. It is called installing. Do not take our choices away. Isn't America proud of their freedom, so don't take ours freedom away. Our device, our decisions "
Quoc Huy, change.org ↗
"Google doing this would not only reduce consumer rights but also create a monopoly. I do not approve of this. "
Alexis, change.org ↗
"Stop making anti-consumer decisions, the consistent downward trend of freedom from Android is distressing and ultimately it will bite back. I will be petitioning my congressional representation as well, Google is only uniting everyone against them. "
Josh, change.org ↗
"You are now a 0. "
İbrahim, change.org ↗
"We can't back down "
Victor Vitienzo, change.org ↗
"To move forward with the developer verification process is both anticompetitive and counter intuitive. Google stands to lose it's only incentive to attract users and developers. To build from a foundation of open source/free software to this is simple greed. Without such foundations Android wouldn't exist today, nor would modern technology. This process will simply hurt consumers, developers, and Google as a company. It will bring forth a new competitor who cares about digital freedom and open source software. Please reconsider. Don't be evil. "
Davy, change.org ↗
"Be better than IOS, this is not the way "
Kai, change.org ↗
"Dystopian, unaccountable corporate control and rug pulling. "
Ethan, change.org ↗
"What a spit in the face from Google. I switched from iOS to Android for the freedom, and this is what they do to me? Google gave me yet another reason to migrate away from their technocratic oligarchy & seek independence from profit-seeking corporations. Frankly, I don't expect Google to care about its customers anymore. But I'm still going to raise my voice. "
Samuel, change.org ↗
"Google should not be able to say what apps we can and can’t download. I use my android to download indie games that are not on the Google Play Store, so this will hurt a lot of indie devs that have their games downloadable as APK’s "
Owen, 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 ↗
"Control. That is all this is. Protection is a word you use to hide your true intentions, google. Google promised a platform where everybody can choose what they want; Linux does this, Windows does this. But google chose to threaten the very way of technology. We as consumers want freedom over the products we purchase, not "protection" from things "outside" of our control or knowledge. "
Trevor, change.org ↗
"Android is the Beacon of Freedom and Open market for many developers to create, test and use their software. Requiring Licensing and restricting this Freedom goes against the very Core of what Android stands for and was built for. It is UNACCEPTABLE for users not to be able to download whatever they want, regardless of Licensing or Approval. If Google closes this door, it will Forever Damage Android and Many users and developers like Myself will leave. There is no longer any reason to remain on Android if this happens. MY hope is that there is enough Sanity left to keep this door Open and fight to protect the Freedom of Android. Those who would give up their Freedom for Security, deserve Neither "
James, change.org ↗
"This would create a closed system like the Apple iPhone. I have an Android phone specifically because it is an open system. As well described on: https://keepandroidopen.org/ "
Joseph, change.org ↗
"The ability to install APKs are a core feature in Android's open nature. It also helps developers to freely test and debug their apps. Installing APKs should be completely free and allowed. Thanks to everyone who made me see this project. Do you want me to draw this as a support material? Thanks. "
Emir, change.org ↗
"I've been a loyal Android user since I took to technology. If Google goes through with this I WILL abandon everything connected to Google and go elsewhere. "
L, change.org ↗
"If Android is closed off & no longer my phone as was the promise of Android, it will be the last Android anything I will purchase.. "
Michael, 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 effectively prevent any normal user from escaping the constant for profit schemes you'll find on the play store. Kids deserve games that don't try to coerce money out of them "
Jody, change.org ↗
"The war on freedom is beginning. Let's keep fighting back. "
Rafael, change.org ↗
"Android has one major thing over apple, and that is the ability to download and use whatever software you want on your device alongside the variety of said software. As someone who enjoys finding projects made by other users, or full apps that can alter your experience for the better, we can't just let Google change that. "
Dakota, change.org ↗
"I love Android for its freedom. Freedom to choose where software/apps are obtained and downloaded from. Its why i switch from apples locked down model to Android. This measure only hurts consumers and the Android community. This will limit the us to 2 locked down eco systems. The douopoly worked because Android was open and we had freedom! "
Salvatore, change.org ↗
"Freedom to install apps not verified by Google is one the main reasons to choose android over IOS. And claims that it's for security is BS. There are plenty of malicious apps on the playstore anyways, and this is going to lead to people who don't necessarily know what they're doing doing things like rooting their device, unaware of the risks. Besides, why is it any of Google's business what apps I install on a device I purchased? "
Cliff, change.org ↗
"Big G is destroying Android and controlling the narrative. They want to determine everything you see, think, and can communicate. This is completely against the core freedoms that are constantly under attack. Keeping them from this destructive activity is the only thing that can keep millions of people - at least - alive around the world. Being able to load apps from where ever I want allows myself to even function and communicate. "
Jeremie, change.org ↗
"I personally knew Android because of it's open nature. Seeing this made me heartbroken. I am all about rooting so sideloading is a crucial part in some rooting operations I do on my device. Now I can't have any more cool mods on my device anymore. Thanks Google. "
chau, change.org ↗
"One of the main reasons for using android is the freedom, this gets rid of that. So I may as well use ubuntu touch at this point. "
Yurii, change.org ↗
"Government ID verification inches us even closer to a dystopian survallience future without open rights, without freedom of choice, and with orwellian control over our lives. Fight back against this and talk to your family and friends. "
dev, change.org ↗
"Censorship and authoritarian regime in the guise of security is asinine and should be illegal. Monopoly is illegal. Google is digging its own grave. "
Billy, change.org ↗
"Completely Unacceptable "
Joe, change.org ↗
"We did not ask for this. We do not consent to this. Android's entire identity is built around it being an open platform. We know you aren't doing this for security, you're doing it for control. Don't be evil. "
Gregor, change.org ↗
"Google is shifting from openness and freedom toward a closed feudal system. This represents more than just a setback for software platforms; it is a step backward for human civilization. "
John, change.org ↗
"Literally one of the only things Android has going for it compared to iOS. You want this gone, fine -- then what advantage do you possibly imagine Android would have over iPhones? Do you really think people are going to continue to buy crap Pixels with Tensor chips at the same price as an iPhone? Android has ALWAYS been about uplifting device ownership. You get rid of APK side loading, you kill the damn OS once and for all. "
Jeremy, change.org ↗
"Users own their devices and should be able to install software they choose on them. "
Paul, change.org ↗
"I've been on android for as long as I can remember. The freedom to develop and most importantly do what I want with my own device is wonderful. To have that taken away from us all would be terrible, especially since the whole reason I love Android is how it is now. "
Angelo, change.org ↗
"I bought the whole phone, i'll use the whole phone, whatever way I want. Openness of Android is the only reason I choose android, if I wanted a "Locked Down" phone, i'll just go with Apple at that point. Make these censorship at least optional to block, LET ME DECIDE, but dont force it onto blocking of APK installs all together FOR EVERYONE, let the user decide for themselves. I don't want Google to decide what I can or cannot do with the phone I BOUGHT. If I bought a phone, with the expectation and the capacity of doing X,Y,Z with it, don't take away the Z AFTER I BOUGHT IT. I'll just refuse to update my phone if it get's pushed that way. There's more malware on the ADS you promote, rather than anywhere else, im sure. "
Bryan, change.org ↗
"Ready and willing to move to iOS permanently if this move to mandatory developer verification is not FULLY retracted by September 2026. "
Do Not, 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 ↗
"Imagine not being able to install programs on your computer that don't go though Microsoft or Apple first. That is where this will go next if this type of practice is made normal/succeeded. "
Kyle, change.org ↗
"They are literally going against the reason people even buy Android phones in the first place "
Lightis, change.org ↗
"Android is one of two operating systems used by almost every smartphone and tablet in the US. While the iphone operating system has been a locked down platform for many years, if it indeed was ever open, android has been marketed as the consumer friendly alternative. However, with android moving to lock unregistered users out of it's ecosystem, that promise may soon disappear. When a consumer purchases an electronic device, it ought to be his or hers to do with as the owner pleases. This includes installing apps from places other than google's native play store. A lockdown like this is a blatant violation of consumer rights. In the absence of widely available third party operating systems for mobile devices, this move by google bottlenecks the availability of applications and locks out independent developers, and those who will not play google's games. I should not have to elaborate on the potential for monopolization, nor the myriad ways this arrangement could be leveraged for censorship. I call on google to reverse this decision immediately, and end this threat to consumer rights and digital liberty. "
Auston, change.org ↗
"Keep android open, important for the people… "
Sanjay, 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 ↗
"Might as well be an iPhone at this point. The whole point of Android was customization, and this kills that. Do better Google. "
William, change.org ↗
"This whole security benefit is BS "
Jordan, change.org ↗
"Let's be real, this isn't about security, it's about forcing people to use Google playstore, and trying to get peoples info just like what Youtube is doing right now. "
Draven, change.org ↗
"At that point highkey I'd just use IOS. Why remove one of the main things that lets android be android "
Josue, change.org ↗
"Android being open source and accessible to everyone to install and modify as they choose is the most import thing. It's why android has the market share that it does, without developers being able to build for the platform as they wish android will wither and inovation will be stiffled. "
Guy, change.org ↗
"Google is going to ruin what they built and turn into Apple. "
Abnormal Software, change.org ↗
"Android giving users choice has been the staple point of android OS. Removing choices like sideloading apps is not the move. I develop apps for myself, I do not want to be "an approved developer" I don't have time nor care for that. This action also is the beginning of censorship, and monopolization of android OS. Android started as an open operating system, you have simply turned it into a reskinned Apple OS. Your choice to go anti-consumer is going to hurt. You are not "protecting" anyone 184 likes "
Gabe, change.org ↗
"I have been an android user for as long as I can remember, do not change that now Google. I have just started to develop android apps, because I find the alternatives not so friendly and bothersome. Android has been my driving flag and I would not want that to change for any reason. "
Nijel, change.org ↗
"Stop trying to lock down Android, you bozos! "
Rares, change.org ↗
"Freedom of application installation on my own device is paramount to democratic computer access. "
John, 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 ↗
"Aaaaaaaaae "
Sharon, change.org ↗
"Because we have no more free OS like android, so keep android open is very important, imo "
DeVaughn, change.org ↗
"Google get out of MY phone! "
Mauro, change.org ↗
"If this doesn't get changed then I'm switching to Apple. "
Julia, change.org ↗
"Stop destroying our freedom! "
Alberto, change.org ↗
"I have Android phones for just one reason: The freedom they provided so far. Some of my main apps are side-loaded. This move of Google is a huge disappointment. It’s a terrible abuse of monopoly power. "
Andreas, change.org ↗
"On veut pouvoir faire ce que l'on veut quand l'on veux "
Philippe, change.org ↗
"If I purchase a device, such as a smartphone, and I am not under a contract, I should be able to alter it how I want. It is MY device. There are certain features I want to disable, certain ways I want my phone to operate. With a "walled garden" such as an Apple device, I cannot do that! That is the reason I have used Android since my first Android phone, Dell Streak 5. If Google locks things down, I'll just switch to APPLE. What's the point of keeping Android? "
Rusty, change.org ↗
"Your ruining the freedom who ever to download what we wanted to do and stop limiting what we like to download from other websites or anything that is legally. "
Gabriel, change.org ↗
"I got an Android tablet for the freedom it offered over an ios device such as ipads and iphones. If Google's going to lock the system down anyway, I might as well buy a touchscreen for a Raspberry Pi and repurpose it instead of using Android in the future. "
Timothy, change.org ↗
"KEEP ANDROID OPEN "
Dennis, 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 ↗
"One of the reasons why many people including myself chose Android over iOS is its openness. Android used to treat people like it should - users, who know what they are doing if they decided to enable sideloading (AKA "install unknown apps") or go into developer settings. If the new restrictions will get put in place, Android will lose this benefit, and while some people will not even notice the difference, others will switch to iOS, a custom ROM, or might start a development effort on an entirely new mobile operating system. Google will end up losing a decent chunk of its userbase. In addition, if we look at iOS again, they were putting all of tgose "safeguards" (aka restrictions) for a long time, and people were jailbraking their iPhones. Now think about it, if the new restrictions were to be put on "sideloadong", some developers will stop publishing on Google Play, and those users who were using those no longer available apps (especially the inexperienced ones) will start looking for ways to "fix" the problem. This will give rise to shady repair services (especially in developing countries), who will promice to get those apps back onto the users phone (mainly via ADB, as that method will continue to work), but will also end up putting some malware (such as crypto miners) on user devices at the same time. So, with that in mind, would this "developer verification" change really make Android more secure? "
Lev, change.org ↗
"Me and many of my peers have been android users for over a decade, mainly due to the open nature and freedom to use my device as I wish without friction. Revoking this freedom by forcing developers into this program will harm developer privacy and freedom of speech, accessibility of development, user control over their devices, and preservation of older apps. It's not as easy as move to another OS, as the only other option is iOS and alternatives don't have as many applications needed for general day to day life. This is an overreach of power feigning "caring about user safety" to restrict user and developer freedoms "
Natasha, change.org ↗
"As a long-time Android user and small-scale app developer, I'm deeply concerned about the recent moves to restrict app sideloading. Choice has always been the core strength of Android—it's what set it apart as an open operating system. Forcing users to become "approved developers" just to build and install personal apps is impractical and unnecessary; I simply don't have the time or interest in jumping through those hoops. This shift feels like the start of broader censorship and monopolization, transforming Android into little more than a reskinned version of iOS. We chose Android for its freedom, not for anti-consumer restrictions that claim to "protect" us but really just limit our options. Existing tools like Knox and Play Integrity are already intrusive enough—now even downloading from trusted alternatives like F-Droid or other third-party stores might face scrutiny? This erodes the open spirit that defined Android from the beginning. Users deserve the right to create, modify, and install apps without sacrificing anonymity or control. It's our responsibility to educate ourselves on risks, not for big tech like Google (or GAFAM) to dictate terms. Android's appeal has always been its flexibility: I've sideloaded niche apps from lone developers for unique tasks, like custom music players and compass tools from F-Droid. I've even installed modded versions of stock apps, such as a camera tweak that added Google Pixel's Photosphere to my device—something impossible without sideloading. There's no need for Android to head in this restrictive direction; it risks becoming a "mock iOS," stripping away the very reasons people like me chose it. Let's restore customization, user freedom, and innovation to the heart of Android. Please, reconsider this path—it's not protection; it's control. "
Mike, 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 lifelong Android user and now a beginner developer, I say this is nothing more than an attempt to turn Android into an iPhone 2. You're not protecting anyone, and this seems more like the beginning of an Android monopoly. An open-source system shouldn't have this kind of restriction/censorship, much less force developers to identify themselves and pay fees for beta apps. It shouldn't have a single store. This decision to act against consumers and developers will have very serious negative consequences. After all, when I choose to buy an Android, I choose it for the freedom it gives me and the variety of stores and places where I can download programs that aren't on the Play Store, whether games or development programs. Nobody chooses an Android for its features, much less for the Google system. We choose it because we want the freedom to do what we want with what we buy with our money, taking full responsibility for what we download. Because if I wanted a centralized store with no freedom whatsoever, I would buy an iPhone. "
Sophya, change.org ↗
"One of the main reasons I use Android is the ability to sideload applications—downloading APKs from trusted third-party developers. Now Google wants to limit that? Please don’t leave Android alone and don't take away the freedom it was built on. "
Suyaib, change.org ↗
"For the freedom of an open and universal system for all! "
Zaphyru's, change.org ↗
"Android needs to stop developer verification! We cannot have a single entity like Google control what we can or cannot have! "
Cheny, change.org ↗
"We are so used to it by now, but not having root access to your own device is insane. This would never fly in the PC space. I just want a computer in my pocket, but instead we have locked down appliances that we are not free to use as we wish. Side-loading apps made not having root access palatable since I could still do most things I would want to do anyway. Without it, I will be looking to move away from Android going forward. "
Brandon, change.org ↗