הטלפון שלך עומד להפסיק להיות שלך.

126 ימים עד להיסגרות

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.

מה Google עושה

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.

ההרשמה דורשת:

If a developer does not comply, their apps get silently blocked on every Android device worldwide.

במי זה פוגע

בך

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.

במפתחים עצמאיים

בין אם זה היישום הראשון של הנער או הנערה, כלי הפרטיות הקהילתי, או תוכנית הביתא הסגורה חֶברה טכנולוגית. זה לא משנה. החל מספטמבר 2026, לא יהיה ניתן להתקין אף אחד מהיישומים האלה ללא אישורה של Google.

F-Droid, home to thousands of free and open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat. Cory Doctorow calls it "Darth Android".

Governments & civil society

Google has a documented track record of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.

The EFF calls app gatekeeping "an ever-expanding pathway to internet censorship."

Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:

  1. כניסה להגדרות המערכת ואיתור האפשרויות למפתחים
  2. Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
  3. Dismiss scare screens about coercion
  4. Enter your PIN
  5. הפעלה מחדש של המכשיר
  6. המתנה של 24 שעות
  7. Come back, dismiss more scare screens
  8. Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
  9. Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"

Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.

Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed. 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."

אבל רגע, האם זה לא...

"...פשוט משהו בנוגע לאבטחה?"

The security rationale is a smokescreen. Google Play Protect already scans for malware independent of developer identity. Requiring a government ID doesn't make code safer. It makes developers identifiable and controllable. Malware authors can register. Indie developers and dissidents often can't. The EFF is blunt: identity-based gatekeeping is a censorship tool, not a security one.

"...still sideloading if you use the advanced flow?"

Nine steps, 24-hour wait, buried in Developer Options, delivered through a proprietary service that Google can revoke whenever they want. That's not sideloading. That's a deterrence mechanism built to ensure almost nobody completes it. And since it runs through Play Services rather than the OS, Google can tighten or kill it silently.

"...only a problem if you have something to hide?"

Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists under authoritarian governments will be the first victims. People in domestic abuse situations are next. All these groups have legitimate reasons to distribute or use software without putting their legal identity in a Google database. Anonymous open-source contribution is a tradition older than Google itself. This policy ends it on Android.

"...the same thing Apple does?"

Apple has been a walled garden from day one. People chose Android because it was different. "Apple does it too" is a race to the bottom and a weak tu quoque argument. And under regulatory pressure (the EU's Digital Markets Act), even Apple is being forced to open up. Google is moving in the opposite direction: attempting to further entrench its gatekeeping status.

"...just $25 and some paperwork?"

Maybe, if you're a developer in the US with a credit card and a driver's license. Try being a student in sub-Saharan Africa, or a dissident in Myanmar, or a volunteer maintaining a community health app. The cost isn't only financial: you're surrendering government ID and evidence of your signing keys to a company that routinely complies with government demands to remove apps and expose developers.

נלחמים בחזרה

כולם

  • 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).

מפתחים

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.

עובדי Google

If you know something about the program's technical implementation or internal rationale, contact tips@keepandroidopen.org from a non-work machine and a non-Gmail account. Strict confidence guaranteed.

All those opposed…

69 organizations from 21 countries have signed the open letter

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

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

מה הם אומרים

Tech press

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

9to5Google

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

Infosecurity Magazine

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

MakeUseOf

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

Benzinga

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

TechCrunch

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

Android Headlines

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

How-To Geek

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

The Verge

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

The Register

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

Cybernews

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

Android Headlines

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

How-To Geek

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

XDA Developers

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

TechSpot

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

Datamation

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

How-To Geek

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

Thom Holwerda, OSnews

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

How-To Geek

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

heise online

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

It's FOSS News

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

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

Ars Technica

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

Open Source For U

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

How-To Geek

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

Reclaim The Net

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

Slashdot

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

Tuta Blog

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

SlashGear

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

Gizmochina

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

The Register

"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

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

Android Police

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

Tom's Guide

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

Android Headlines

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

Techdirt

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

The Register

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

Ars Technica

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine

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

TechRepublic

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

I-Programmer

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

Hackaday

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack

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

Techzine EU

Editorials & analysis

ארגונים ועצומות פתוחות

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."

Nextcloud

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

Tuta

"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."

Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations

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

Osservatorio Nessuno

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

ACLU

"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

"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

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

AdGuard

"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

"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

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

Tuta

"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

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

European Parliament

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

Nextcloud

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

Tech-ish Kenya

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

AdGuard

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

F-Droid

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

F-Droid Open Letter

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

AdGuard

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

European Pirate Party

"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

"If it were to be put into effect, the developer registration decree will end the F-Droid project and other free/open source app distribution sources as we know them today."

F-Droid

"A 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

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

Tuta

"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

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

F-Droid

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

F-Droid

יוצרי תוכן וערוצי YouTube

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

ChiefGyk3D – 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

"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 already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."

Techlore – YouTube

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"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 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

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

Tuta Blog – Blog

"Google keeps getting in as much trouble as Apple when Google is half evil and Apple is full evil. So there are probably people inside Google saying, 'Why not just go full evil?'"

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"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

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

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

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"Google is doing to Android what Microsoft once tried to do to the web. Embrace, extend, extinguish. Just wrapped in a shinier open-source package."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"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

"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."

Techlore – YouTube

"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."

Rob Braxman Tech – Locals

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

fireborn – Blog

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

fireborn – Blog

"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

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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

"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

"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

"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

"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

מפתחים וקהילה

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

afferi300rina, 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

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

hn92726819, Hacker News

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"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

"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."

renshijian, Hacker News

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"I hate this so much. More and more I get the feeling I have no control over the devices I own. My fear is that Windows will eventually follow. For security reasons of course. It's the path we're on now."

cheesyvoetjes, Reddit

"Google 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

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

tejtm, Hacker News

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

Max-P, Lemmy

"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

"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

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

WaffleMonster, Slashdot

"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

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

anordal, 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

"You are essentially a child to them. The difference is society has decided not to step in to protect you from your abusive parents."

globular-toast, Hacker News

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

Zak, Hacker News

"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

"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

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

MrZander, 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

"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

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

koala, Lobsters

"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

"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 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

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

Tiraon, Tildes

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

hbn, Hacker News

"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."

specproc, Hacker News

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

layfellow, Hacker News

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

TheTearMiser, Lemmy

"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'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

"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

"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."

nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, Lemmy

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

survirtual, Hacker News

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

flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News

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

Apocryphon, Hacker News

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

Zak, Lemmy

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

girvo, 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

"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

"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

"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

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

lynxy, 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

"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

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

gumby271, Hacker News

"It is a disgrace how Google has managed this situation. The promised 'advanced flow' hasn't appeared in any Android 16 or 17 betas. Google is quietly proceeding with the original lockdown."

fermigier, Hacker News

"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

"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

Voices from the petition

"The openness of the Android is its unique selling point. Keep Android open to keep Android Android. "

John, change.org

"Does google not understand that the reaso ehy I refused to use iphones is that I cannot use my prefered apps on it. If google loses that, google loses me as well. "

bruno, change.org

"As a regular user of Fdroid and other app stores, I want to be able to continue using my devices that I paid good money for to use the apps that I want to use! Stop this locking down of Android immediately! "

Jolene, change.org

"As an app developer, the last time I sent google my address, they put it on their store page for anyone to see. It was not clear to me that they would do this and it happened without my clear consent. During this time, I was also receiving death threats. I felt unsafe and afraid, and Google's actions directly contributed to my lack of personal safety. I will never trust Google with my personal information again. I would rather just not support Android platform than compromise my privacy and safety. "

Skye, change.org

"The reason why i use android is because of the freedom but if Google lockdown android then there no point on staying and not switching to other ecosystem "

Joel, change.org

"If Android no longer allows me to install what I want, how I want, there is no reason for me to not use Apple products. Your company is already going down the wrong path in so many ways with not properly supporting third-party open source Android variants; do not let this be the final nail in your OS's coffin. "

Peter, change.org

"If Google "Walled gardens" Android, I will never buy a phone with their OS ever again. That's literally the only reason people buy Android, is because it is open not locked down like Apple. F.A.F.O. how much money you'll really lose Google. "

Brandon, change.org

"Ive used both IPhone and Android, and the biggest reason I stayed with android is the ability to download any app I want. While Google is allowing legit malware and scam apps onto their platform, they are attacking indie developers who are just making useful apps. This is completely against user freedom and is essentially going to just send a lot of us Apple, what is the point? This needs to stop! "

Gina, change.org

"independenceeeeeeee "

Spam, change.org

"Keep the Android ecosystem free. "

Gabriel, change.org

"Android became what it is today because it was open, flexible, and gave users real control over their own devices. When companies lock down Android, restrict sideloading, or punish people for rooting and customizing, they’re not just limiting features—they’re limiting freedom.Our phones are how we communicate, organize, learn, and participate in public life. If a handful of companies get to decide which apps, stores, and tools are “allowed,” they gain gatekeeper power over what we can say, what we can access, and how we can exist online. That directly impacts our freedom of speech and our freedom to choose how we use the devices we paid for.We are asking you to keep Android open:Stop adding policies and technical barriers that break custom ROMs, root tools, and alternative app stores.Allow users to fully control their devices, including what software they install and how they modify it.Respect the right of users and developers to experiment, innovate, and speak without being blocked by arbitrary restrictions.Locking down Android might be framed as “security,” but real security and privacy should empower users—not take away their choices. Please protect the open nature of Android and the digital freedoms that come with it. "

Cory, change.org

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

Elijah, change.org

"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

"It's like Google looked at the Microsoft debacle (hello! Linux!) that's currently going on and said wait..hold my beer... Not as easy to change from Google Android like Windows to Linux but it can be done! Already have proton emails so the ball is rolling! If this goes thru I will definitely find alternatives. And instead of using a mix of Google Play store apps and gmail and FOSS as of now, I'll just stick to FOSS and stick with proton email as the primary and go the way of degoogled or possibly apple. Or even go with a cheap flip phone and just forget about using any apps at all! see your already helping me curb the addiction you created by these smart phones and with the physical media resurgence this could kind of go with the whole theme so to speak. Thanks for the ideas Google! I've gotten into the habit of changing and finding alternatives in the last ten plus years to everything. This would not be any different. Know your place and keep your promises Google. Or to quote a couple of your slogans. "Don't be evil" and "Do the right thing" "

Marvin, change.org

"Android livre já "

Alan, 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

"Android is the mobile embodiment of freedom. Central registration with any organization is the absolute end to that freedom. This must be stopped. "

Elvira, change.org

"Google detente. "

Angel Gabriel, change.org

"APK ARE IMPORTANT,IT'S SOME GAMES THAT ARE NOT ON PLAYSTORE "

Paulo, change.org

"We shouldn't have the decision to sideload apps stripped from us so more of our data can be stolen from under our noses. The majority of the apps I use are from small devs. Devs who likely wouldn't have the time to jump through Google's arbitrary hoops, or wouldn't want to the security risks that comes with that compliance. "

Rebecca, change.org

"The thing that separates an android from an iPhone is the ability to do whatever if they pass this this would kill what it's like to have an android "

Devawn, 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

"This is a spit in the face of open-source and Android's userbase. "

Mark, 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 is the main reason I am a android user. If I have to choice between 2 closed systems then I will go to OS "

Victor Daniel, change.org

"Keep Android open. These changes will hurt accessibility for users, like myself, who rely on open source assistive tools, and should be optional. "

D, change.org

"Having moved to the Google platform due to limitations on Apple devices, it would be a huge shame to see this implemented. "

Christo, change.org

"If I wanted to use a locked garden ecosystem, I'd just buy an iPhone. Keep Android open, Google. It is also for your best commercial interest. "

Oscar, change.org

"Google is long overdue to be broken up like AT&T was and this blatantly anti consumer decision to lock down Android proves this. "

Kris, change.org

"People who choose Android over Apple do so because Android offers the freedom to install apps freely and develop apps as a hobby. I think that if they remove access to APKs, I'll switch to Apple, and I think most people will do the same. "

Alexis, change.org

"Google is literally taking away our right. Yes we CAN bypass this with there feature allowing us to install unverified apps but making us wait 24 hours BUT they are going to give our devices a "unsafe" mark stopping banking and many other apps from working the same way they did to ROOTED phones. "

yousef, change.org

"Top muito bom "

Paulo, change.org

"If android isn't open source then it's straight up just a worse iOS literally the only reason we use it is the fact that it's open source 💀 "

Natalia, change.org

"As the market stands the whole point of having an Android device over an iPhone is that you have more freedom over your device. Android is secure. Any claim that this change is for security is a farce. Unwitting users are not downloading random malicious APKs and then clicking through warnings to install them. It just is a non-existent problem. This change is about Google seizing power for personal gain. It's remarkably short sighted and foolish. If they're going to get rid of developer and subsequently user freedom then there's no reason to stay with Android/Google. I don't like Apple, but they already do security and privacy better and are in all other ways comparable. Google has had no claim to any kind of morality for quite some time, but with this move they are now so greedy and so stupid that they're actively working against their own interests. "

Steven, change.org

"I wanted android mainly for its ability to download things in third party app stores, unlike Apple, now that Google is going to be doing this, it makes Google look no better than Apple, Android, infamous for its open sourcability now getting locked down just like iOS. I really hope that this is refuted instead of pushed to Android. "

Joshua, change.org

"Let's fight for our freedom. "

Juan, change.org

"Android’s intended purpose has always been to be an open, permissionless operating system. By requiring developer "verification" to install apps, Google is turning a personal device into a corporate-controlled appliance. I oppose this policy because: Ownership: I bought the hardware; I should decide what software runs on it without a "gatekeeper." Privacy: Forcing independent developers to "dox" themselves to Google kills anonymous, pro-privacy innovation. Freedom: Sideloading must remain a right, not a privilege granted by a Google-controlled ID system. Keep Android open. Don't build a walled garden. "

Jordan, change.org

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

Adpocalyptic, change.org

"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

"Google should be ashamed of itself and give users the freedom to install any app they want. Why don't they remove those apps from their store where thousands of people suffer from viruses? Bunch of scoundrels! "

Jorge, 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

"Don't do this, I will never spend more than 100$ on an android or any phone ever again. Google, get smart. "

Jamell, change.org

"I support identity verification for those who wish to register, but do not support restricting consumers’ ability to install software that they want to. "

Roke, change.org

"By doing this you are signaling to everyone that you believe you control enough of the market to do what you want in the interest of control, money, and shareholder value. We'll show you that you're wrong. "

Willard, change.org

"As an ex user of legacy iOS devices, I felt so frustrated by the base system that I always had to try overcome limitations through jailbreak. What a fresh breeze it was when I finally switched to android more than a decade ago! The openness and flexibility of the system was, even from a simple user POV, a liberation. Fast forward, we're at an era where being an indie dev is accessible. And when this era is flourishing, you tell me Google wants to lock up all machines relying on its system? This is terrible. We don't want a locked ecosystem. There are plenty already. We want flexibility and keep power in our decisions. Simple. So I'm signing this petition. "

Christopher-Harold, change.org

"KEEP ANDROID OPEN "

Dennis, change.org

"It wasn’t enough to allow malicious apps on the Playstore, now they want to remove the one thing that makes someone want to use Android? And I haven’t even commented yet on the fact that they prevent users from exploring their own files freely (date, obb), and applications with security flaws that cannot be uninstalled. the situation does not seem to be good... But there is still hope "

Adonis, change.org

"Control is what made Android different, taking that away would make it no better than Apple and the rest. "

Matthew, change.org

"Dear Google. You have paid games. Players are trying to get the modded apk. You slap them with an "unsafe" warning. Not all modded apks can be unsafe, some are. If you want free robux, steal some. Sincerely, Yaoi Ulshade "

Yaoi, change.org

"I do not want Google to get a third monopoly. That is the whole point of this gatekeeping. I'm sick of these corporations doing whatever they want. "

Aidan, change.org

"The entire reason I chose an android over an apple phone was the control over my device I got. Taking that away is a mistake! "

Gin, 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

"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 "

lucas, change.org

"then why get an android at this point? "

Kyarie, 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

"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

"This is crazy. Stop this madness. We pay for our devices and should have the right to install whatever software we like without verification. Keeping us safe with regulation is not the answer. Stop the madness and keep android open. "

Steven, change.org

"Android is designed to be free. We own OUR devices. This is not up for discussion "

Brandon, change.org

"As an iPhone user, Android's ability to sideload apps was the single reason I purchased an Android tablet instead of an iPad. Now that this is going away, Google can go away because they're no different than an Apple phone now. "

Robert, change.org

"I've used both an apple and an android, the differences between them are like night and day, one has made it almost impossible to have free applications unless your willing to deal with a bombardment of ads, it also made it near impossible to have true safety, privacy, and freedom . Safety) there are applications that are aiding in the fight against tyrannical countries by making you decide what apps should be acceptable in which country you are harming people. Privacy) There wont be any anonymity with Developers, who now have to pay to make something for others, this doesn't encourage charity and generosity, it only fuels greed Freedom) There wont be a single application no matter how 'offline' the features are that wont be paid or ad-bloated, I don't get to choose any app and deal with the consequences, of those choices. in the words of Ben Franklin "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety" "

jack, change.org

"The whole point of Android was it was an os that gave you the freedom to use your phone the way you wanted unlike apple this ruins it's whole purpose "

Cem, change.org

"I've been using Android for 10+ years instead of iOS sorely because of how open it is. I can customize a lot of my phone for convenience, looks, accessibility; I can download programs from F-Droid or games from Itch.io. Removing that or making it significantly harder is a deal breaker for me. "

Lucas A, change.org

"This change has nothing to do with security, it wants to remove the power of choice from the user and screw up many developer by forcing them to use the Play Store. Android is all about freedom and will always be. "

Yuri, change.org

"Google needs to stop monopolizing Android access "

Allen, change.org

"I am tired of massive corporations limiting us. I love using android because it is a modified linux kernal and I love using linux. I want android to stay open, android has not right to call itself linux if it will not stay open. "

Charlotte, change.org

"Morra Google! "

Abraao, change.org

"This change would defeat the core purpose at the heart of what the Android platform is. Remember when Google used to use the slogan "Don't be Evil"? Well this is about as evil as it gets. "

Justin, change.org

"If I wanted to have my apps controlled by a mega corporation, I would have gotten an iPhone "

Eric, change.org

"Leave our phones alone. Dont turn Android into Apple "

leavemyphonealone, change.org

"Android libre. "

Fernando, 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 have advocated for android over apple for years in large part due to freedom of software and hardware choices. Ive gotten many to convert over. If google implements this change it will be a huge problem and make me and many others start considering alternative options. Google, be a pioneer and supporter of developers worldwide, not a stifler of technology and innovation. "

Emmanuel, change.org

"Pαrα sαlvαr Αndroid "

Jhon Harrison, change.org

"I will dtop uding Android if this is beeing implemented "

Cederick, change.org

"One of the reasons I use android is so I can do what I want unlike an iPhone. Locking it down will make it no different from the competition "

Jonathan, change.org

"I make little tools for myself and little games for my son, I don't usually distribute apps and when I do it is for free with no ads. Adding a license, divulging personal info and a cost to Android development will make me leave the platform. Allow people to use their computing devices the way they want, don't be evil. "

Paul, change.org

"We own the devices that we buy with our money. We should have the freedom to do with them as we like. This includes the installation of apps from any developer without some rediculous google verification. "

Edwin, change.org

"Keep Android Open "

Timothy, change.org

"Developer verification can improve security, but requiring centralized registration for all apps on certified devices risks creating new barriers to competition and innovation. Security shouldn’t come at the cost of openness and choice. "

Caleb, 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

"I’m not even a developer, but this whole Google lockdown thing ticks me off. The reason I went with Android was freedom — being able to choose where I get my apps, try stuff from outside the Play Store, and actually use my phone how I want. Now Google’s trying to turn it into another Apple-style cage. If they force everything through the Play Store, it’s not just developers that get screwed. We do too. Prices will go up because Google takes its cut, and half the cool niche or indie apps will disappear. I shouldn’t have to beg permission to install something from GitHub or F-Droid. It’s my phone, I paid for it — not some rental Google gets to control. This isn’t about safety or quality, it’s straight-up greed. Android was always the “open” option, and Google’s throwing that away. "

Jared, change.org

"Independent application distribution and creation is incredibly important and is one of the core reasons that I use Android over Apple devices. It's fine to prefer users access apps from a controlled "safe" store, but eliminating the possibility of installing outside applications is definitely not okay. There's no reason for this other than greed both monetary and data Creed. This is not okay for Google to do. "

Brandon, change.org

"Closing off the ability for the average consumer to engage with their device on their terms is outright dystopian and also part of why so many younger people struggle with computer literacy. "

Joseph, change.org

"Keep Android an open platform, avoid a massive class action lawsuit. I along many others bought an android phone precisely because of the open ecosystem, you change that, you get sued and lose customers "

Joseph, change.org

"Google is essentially throwing away the mantle with this "anti consumer" strategy. Their just giving the masses a big--no, HUGE reason to largely rebel and replace their software with something less restrictive. You don't think it will happen, but it will... "

Xavier, change.org

"it's always for "safety" but in reality it's to control the user base. you're forcing all these developers to submit legal ID to "prove" themselves but then data breaches happen risking so many people's identity. what do you do then? hide the fact that data breach happens or at most say sorry? android being open has benefited you as a company for decades and is what's keeping you different from iOS. lock down your platform and what's to keep anyone from switching over? what reason do you have to keep your userbase when you eventually make them choose between two locked down platforms when one is at default better than the other? and the better one is definitely not android if this happens. "

Adrian, change.org

"Google is about to further close down Android, which isn't good at all. If anything, it's going to hurt everyone, and furthermore, what if others start to copy them and lock down their ecosystems in a similar manner? For example, what if Microsoft starts locking down Windows app dev like Google is locking down Android app dev, and starts restricting sideloading exes? "

Joshua, change.org

"STOP GOOGLE!!!!!!!!!!!! "

max, change.org

"Side loading is one of the biggest reasons I used an Android device. I’ll be using an IPhone for the foreseeable future. "

Joey, change.org

"Let's all join forces in this fight because freedom cannot be violated "

Fernando, change.org

"The change to requiring app verification through a wireless, centralized service, instead of a feature of the OS, is a change that is inconvenient at best, and threatens the portable device market as it currently stands at worst. By making this change, Google is further revoking the customization and autonomy (or what is left of it on most carrier phones) that not only drives many users to get Android in the first place, but is a reminder of what makes computers so wonderful, in my opinion; the ability for every one to customize, and hack their own device to be perfectly their own. This wonderful thing is a basic function of any "free" computing platform that should not be revoked, but increasingly, it has. Please, Google, do not take this direction, and shut off the venue of customization that allows people to use their devices the way they want to, and has lit the torch for many future software developers and computer scientists. "

Zacario, change.org

"Just another horrible move from Big Tech companies to further control the rate of which Technology can advance. The only thing I enjoyed about Android - it being very open source and developer friendly - but now that it is being threatened, maybe I should start rallying towards buying ACTUAL Open-Sourced Tech instead of prioritizing capital gain instead of Technical Advancements. "

Aaron, change.org

"I use Android because of it's ease of use. If this goes through, I will be installing a completely different OS. This is Microsoft forcing us to download Windows 11 all over again. "

Aden, change.org

"I don't sideload, I only download form sources I trust and that are not the Google PlayStore. If you want to verify apps, verify them on your app store, not others! "

Lukas, change.org

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

Matthew, change.org

"Protect Android FREEDOM... I’ve used Android for years because it stood for freedom and choice. But lately Google has been making it harder to install APK files apps that come from outside the Play Store. That freedom to choose what I put on my own phone is what made Android different, and it’s slowly disappearing. I’m not a developer or hacker just someone who believes that the device I bought should truly belong to me. I should be able to install safe apps from any source without being blocked or discouraged. This isn’t about breaking rules it’s about keeping control over our own technology. If Google keeps tightening these restrictions Android will lose the openness that made it great. I care because user freedom matters and I don’t want to see it taken away bit by bit. "

Boris, change.org

"If google makes this change i will find any alternative OS and switch to that. "

Ron, change.org

"The new requirements have really killed my motivation to develop apps. I do not want to provide any personal information to big tech companies. The reason I want to work on FOSS is that I don’t want to give up my privacy, and this new policy is undermining that. These requirements will never create a truly safe and secure OS. Criminals can obtain government-issued IDs through the dark web or by scamming others. The only people being blocked are those who intend no harm at all. Please don’t lock down the ecosystem. "

kam kee, change.org

"Keep android open the main reason I got android is because it's open sourced do not close off android "

Patrick, change.org

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

Benjamin, change.org

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

קנית את הטלפון מכספך.
אמורה להיות לך הזכות להחליט מה להפעיל בו.

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

נא לשתף את העמוד הזה, לא להירשם. לא ניתן להם להפוך את אנדרואיד לסגורה.