Телефоныңыз жақында сіздікі болмай қалуы ықтимал.
2027* жылдан бастап Google өз еркімен жіберетін үнсіз жаңарту Google-ге тіркелмеген, шартқа қол қоймаған, ақы төлемеген және мемлекеттік куәлігін бермеген әзірлеушілердің барлық Android қосымшасын бұғаттайды.
Бас тарту мүмкіндігінсіз — дүниежүзіндегі барлық қосымша, барлық құрылғы.
↓Google не істеп жатыр
2025 жылдың тамызында Google жаңа талап жариялады: 2027 жылдан бастап әрбір Android қосымша әзірлеушісі кез келген құрылғыға бағдарламасы орнатылар алдында Google-де орталықтан тіркелуі тиіс. Бұл тек Play Store қосымшаларына емес — барлық қосымшаларға қатысты. Достарға таратылған, F-Droid арқылы берілген немесе жеке пайдалану үшін жасалған қосымшалар да осыған кіреді. Тәуелсіз әзірлеушілер, шіркеу мен қоғамдастық топтары, хоббишілер — бәрі де өз бағдарламаларын жасау мен тарата алмайтын болады.
Тіркелу үшін қажет:
- Google-ге ақы төлеу
- Google пайдалану шарттарымен келісу
- Мемлекеттік куәлігіңізді беру
- Жеке қол қою кілтіңізді растайтын дерек беру
- Бүгінгі және болашақтағы барлық қосымша идентификаторларын тізімдеу
Егер әзірлеуші талаптарды орындамаса, оның қосымшалары дүниежүзіндегі барлық Android құрылғыларда үндемей бұғатталады.
Бұл кімге зиян тигізеді
Сіз
Сіз Android телефон сатып алдыңыз, өйткені Google оның ашық екенін айтты. Қалаған нәрсеңізді орнатуға болады — шарт осылай болды.
Енді Google сол уәдеден бас тартып жатыр — сіз жеке сатып алған құрылғыда. Жаңарту орналғаннан кейін тек Google алдын ала рұқсат берген бағдарламаларды ғана іске қоса аласыз. Өз телефоныңызда: сіздің меншігіңізде, сіз ақша төлеген нәрседе.
Тәуелсіз әзірлеушілер
Жасөспірімнің алғашқы қосымшасы, еріктінің құпиялылық құралы немесе компанияның жабық ішкі бета нұсқасы. Маңызы жоқ. 2027 жылы Google рұқсатынсыз ештеңені орнатуға болмайды.
F-Droid — мыңдаған тегін ашық бастапқы кодты Android қосымшаларының ордасы — мұны «тіршілікке қауіп» деп атады. Кори Доктороу оны «Дарт Android» деп атайды.
Үкіметтер мен азаматтық қоғам
Google-дің авторитарлық режимдер қосымша жою талап еткенде орындайтынын дәлелдейтін тарихы бар. Бұл бағдарламамен бірге сіздің еліңіздің мекемелерін басқаратын бағдарлама есеп бермейтін бір шет елдік корпорацияның еркіне бағынады.
EFF қосымша кіріс бақылауын «интернет цензурасына үздіксіз кеңейетін жол» деп атайды.
Google-дің «шығу жолы» — тұзақ
Google «озық пайдаланушылар» тексерілмеген қосымшаларды «әлі де орната алады» дейді. Ал бұл шын мәнінде қалай көрінеді:
- Жүйе параметрлеріне кіріп, Әзірлеуші параметрлерін табу
- Әзірлеуші режимін қосу үшін нұсқа нөмірін жеті рет басу
- Мәжбүрлеу туралы қорқыту экрандарын жабу
- PIN-кодты енгізу
- Құрылғыны қайта іске қосу
- 24 сағат күту
- Оралып, тағы да қорқыту экрандарын жабу
- «Уақытша рұқсат ету» (7 күн) немесе «Шексіз рұқсат ету» таңдау
- «Тәуекелдерді» түсінетіндігіңізді қайта растау
Тоғыз қадам. Міндетті 24 сағаттық тыным. Өз иелігіңіздегі құрылғыға бағдарлама орнату үшін.
Одан да жаманы: бұл процесс Android жүйесі арқылы емес, толығымен Google Play Services арқылы жүреді. Google оны кез келген уақытта жүйе жаңартуынсыз және келісімсіз өзгерте, қатайта немесе жоя алады. Бүгінгі күні ол ешбір бета, алдын ала немесе canary нұсқасында шықпаған. Тек блог жазбасы мен макет ретінде ғана бар.
Бұл Android-тан үлкен мәселе
Егер Google ашық платформа ретінде сатылған миллиардтаған құрылғыларды кері бұғаттай алса, планетадағы әрбір аппараттық өндіруші мұны бақылап отыр.
Қалыптасып жатқан принцип: құрылғыңызды жасаған компания оны сатып алғаннан кейін қандай бағдарламаны іске қосуға болатынын шешеді. Бағдарламалық жасақтамада мұны «rug pull» деп атайды; бірақ кем дегенде бәсекелес бағдарламаларды орнатуға болатын. Аппараттық жасақтамада бұл сіздің дербестігіңізді жойып, есеп бермейтін жалғыз бақылаушы — сотталған монополистің еркіне бағынуды білдіреді.
Android-тың ашықтығы ешқашан тек бір мүмкіндік болған жоқ. Бұл оны iPhone-нан ерекшелендіретін уәде болды. Миллиондар дәл сол себептен Android таңдады. Google енді сол уәдеден бір жақты бас тартып жатыр — халықтың қалтасындағы бар құрылғыларда, өйткені нарықтық үстемдіктері реттеу жүйесін бағындыруға жетті деп санады.
Ars Technica: «Google-дің Apple-ге деген қызғанышы Android-тың ашық мұрасын жоюға қауіп төндіруде.»
Бірақ бұл...
«...тек қауіпсіздік үшін ғана?»
Қауіпсіздік уәжі — көзбояушылық. Google Play Protect зиянды бағдарламаларды әзірлеуші жеке басынан тәуелсіз қазірдің өзінде тексереді. Мемлекеттік куәлік талабы кодты қауіпсіз етпейді — ол әзірлеушілерді анықтауға және бақылауға мүмкіндік береді. Зиянды бағдарлама авторлары тіркеле алады. Тәуелсіз әзірлеушілер мен диссиденттер — жиі жоқ. EFF тура айтады: жеке сәйкестікке негізделген кіріс бақылауы — цензура құралы, қауіпсіздік құралы емес.
«...кеңейтілген процесті пайдалансаңыз, sideloading мүмкін?»
Тоғыз қадам, 24 сағаттық күту, Әзірлеуші параметрлеріне жасырылған, Google қашан болса да өшіре алатын меншікті қызмет арқылы жеткізіледі. Бұл sideloading емес. Бұл — ешкім аяқтамауын қамтамасыз ету үшін жасалған тосқауыл механизмі. Ол OS арқылы емес, Play Services арқылы жұмыс істейтіндіктен Google оны үндемей қатайта немесе жоя алады.
«...жасырар нәрсеңіз болса ғана мәселе?»
Авторитарлық үкіметтер астындағы ақпарат жариялаушылар, журналистер мен белсенділер бірінші жәбірленушілер болады. Үй ішілік зорлық-зомбылық жағдайындағылар одан кейін. Бұл топтардың барлығының өз заңи жеке басын Google дерекқорына енгізбестен бағдарлама тарату немесе пайдалану үшін заңды себептері бар. Анонимді ашық бастапқы код үлесі Google-дің өзінен де ескі дәстүр. Бұл саясат оны Android-та аяқтайды.
«...Apple жасайтынмен бірдей?»
Apple бастан аяқ жабық бақша болды. Адамдар Android-ты ол өзгеше болғандықтан таңдады. «Apple да солай жасайды» — ең нашарға бәсеке және нашар tu quoque дәлелі. Сонымен қатар реттеу қысымы (ЕО-ның Цифрлық нарықтар туралы заңы) тіпті Apple-ді ашылуға мәжбүр етуде. Google керісінше бағытта: кіріс бақылаушы мәртебесін одан сайын нығайтуға тырысуда.
«...тек 25 доллар және бірнеше құжат?»
Мүмкін, егер сіз кредит картасы мен жүргізуші куәлігі бар АҚШ-тағы әзірлеуші болсаңыз. Сахараның оңтүстігіндегі студент, Мьянмадағы диссидент немесе қоғамдық денсаулық қосымшасын қолдаушы ерікті болып көріңізші. Шығын тек қаржылық емес: сіз мемлекеттік куәлігіңіз бен қол қою кілттерінің дәлелін үкімет талаптарын үнемі орындайтын компанияға тапсыруыңыз керек болады.
Қарсы тұр
Барлығына
- Иелігіңіздегі барлық Android құрылғыға F-Droid орнатыңыз. Баламалы дүкендер тек адамдар шынымен пайдаланса ғана өмір сүреді.
- Реттеушілеріңізге хабарласыңыз. Дүниежүзі бойынша реттеушілер технологиялық секторда монополиялар мен биліктің орталықтандырылуына шынымен алаңдаулы және зардап шеккен адамдардан тікелей хабар алғысы келеді.
- Бұл бетті таратыңыз. keepandroidopen.org сілтемесін барлық жерде жіберіңіз.
- Ақиқатты бұрмалаушыларға жол бермеңіз. «Ал, негізінде...» деп сылтауратып, мәселені кішірейтетіндер желіде толып жүр. Олардың оқиғаны өз пайдасына бұруына мүмкіндік бермеңіз.
- change.org петициясына қол қойыңыз және өз дауыстарын білдірген 100 000-нан астам қол қоюшыға қосылыңыз.
- Ашық хатымызды оқып, таратыңыз
- Бұл туралы не ойлайтыныңызды Google-ге айтыңыз — олардың өз әзірлеушілерді тексеру сауалнамасы арқылы (қанша пайдасы болса да).
Әзірлеушілерге
Тіркелмеңіз. Android Developer Console-ге тіркеліп, олардың қайтарылмайтын пайдалану шарттарымен келісу арқылы бағдарламаға қосылмаңыз. Жеке басыңызды растамаңыз. Олармен ойнамаңыз.
Google-дің жоспары тек әзірлеушілер бағынса жұмыс істейді. Бағынбаңыз.
- Басқа әзірлеушілер мен ұйымдарды тіркелмеуге сендіріңіз.
- Пайдаланушыларды ескерту үшін қосымшаларыңызға FreeDroidWarn кітапханасын қосыңыз.
- Веб-сайтыңыз бар ма? Кері санау баннерін қосыңыз.
Google қызметкерлеріне
Бағдарламаның техникалық жүзеге асырылуы немесе ішкі уәждемесі туралы бірдеңе білсеңіз, жұмыстық емес компьютерден және Gmail емес есептік жазбадан tips@keepandroidopen.org мекенжайына хабарласыңыз. Толық құпиялылық кепілдендіріледі.
Барлық қарсыластар…
23 елден 71 ұйым қол қойды ашық хатқа
Techlore techlore.tech
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
F-Droid f-droid.org
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
Cryptee crypt.ee
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Brave brave.com
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
FUTO futo.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
GitHub Store github-store.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
Data Rights datarights.ngo
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
April april.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
OpenMedia openmedia.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Proton AG proton.me
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
iodé iode.tech
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
FULU Foundation fulu.org
/e/ Foundation e.foundation Олар не дейді
Технологиялық баспасөз
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
Редакциялық мақалалар мен талдаулар
"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
"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
"The proposed Android Developer Verification program isn't a security update; it's a kill switch for the open ecosystem."
Hillary Keverenge, Tech-ish Kenya
"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
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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
"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 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
"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
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Destroying F-Droid isn't some 'oops.' It's the mission. It's Google finally cutting the last remaining escape route and locking every single user inside their store."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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 is turning sideloading from a right into a permission slip, and the open-source community has until September to convince it otherwise."
Reclaim The Net
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
"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
"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
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Sideloading, a longstanding pillar of Android's openness, is now being marginalized, placing the Android platform closer to the walled-garden approach of Apple's iOS."
Purism
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"Google isn't certifying apps, they're certifying developers. This implies that the company can somehow predict whether a developer will do something malicious in the future."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Although Google's claim is that this is for 'security', it does not prevent the regular practice of scammers buying up existing verified developer accounts."
Maya Posch, Hackaday
"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
Ұйымдар мен ашық хаттар
"When you set up a gate, you invite authorities to use it to block things they don't like. And when you build a database, you invite governments to try to get access."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"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
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"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
"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
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"Developers who choose not to use Google's services should not be forced to register with, and submit to the judgement of, Google."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"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
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
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
"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
"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 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
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"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
YouTube авторлары мен контент жасаушылар
"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
"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
"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
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"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 has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"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
"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
"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
"I'm not using the word 'phone.' I'm using the word 'computer.' This has over 8 GB of RAM, a terabyte of storage. It's a computer. And I'm also not going to be using words like 'sideload.' When you download an exe file onto your Windows computer, you've installed an application. You haven't 'sideloaded' something."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google 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
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google 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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."
The Linux Experiment – YouTube
"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
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google 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
"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
Әзірлеушілер мен қоғамдастық
"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."
specproc, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, 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
"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
"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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), 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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, 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 now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."
renshijian, Hacker News
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"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
"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
"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 wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, 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
"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
"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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"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
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, 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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"If Android's sandbox and permission systems actually worked, then the mere act of installing an app from an arbitrary source would be as harmless as visiting an arbitrary website."
mwcampbell, Lobsters
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"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
"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
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, 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
"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
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"If the likes of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and others have their way, you will not own your computer; those companies will effectively own your computers."
RUs1729, Slashdot
"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
"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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, 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
"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
"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
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"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
"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
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"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
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"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
Петициядан дауыстар
"The actions of Google are asinine, and the fact the company is trying to do this is appalling. "
Grace, change.org
"Android is and has been the operating system that gives everyone the freedom to install any apps they want. The action of adding in a developer verification is simply redundant, anyone who goes out of the Google Play store to sideload knows its risks and why they are doing it. It is the only mobile operating system that allows us to do so, we won't let Google stop us. "
Yuquan, change.org
"Why was Brazil the first country mentioned regarding developer verification for apps??? They want control, for pleasure!??? "
Bruno Eduardo, change.org
"Google detente. "
Angel Gabriel, change.org
"Google already has too much to say on which apps one is allowed to run on their phone. Play Integrity already ruins the Android experience for most custom ROM users and now they're going for side loading, too. This has to stop. "
Alexander, change.org
"Keep Android from being like Apple controlling every aspect of what can be installed or not, that's why i don't own iPhones never will. If android is going in the same direction ill get a flip phone I don't need big brother telling me what i can do or can't on my phone, i worked hard to pay for! in the name of safety always same bullshit excuse when they want to violate people's rights... "
melvyn, change.org
"Show us a reason to use Android over iOS. It is this bit of freedom that makes us choose Android. Without it, we might as well save up for Apple products, which are solid, but less choice. It is the choice that makes Android worth looking at. "
J, change.org
"I can't let them have this. This world and especially these last years, tech companies think they can fully control you, utilized you, abuse you. Pls let this be one win for us "
Isaac, 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
"Users own their devices and should be able to install software they choose on them. "
Paul, change.org
"After dithering for ages, I finally did what I've always wanted to do, I installed a de-googled android it's, E/Os. Its great! If google persist in this, I'm sure more non technical users will too! I also wrote to my mp & to the UK monopoly commission. Search E/Os murena see if you can too! "
ed, 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
"this is so dumb, and it makes the whole reason i got an android pointless. i might as well go back to ios but ill probably give pinephone a shot "
Spencer, change.org
"I've used side loading a number of times in the past to load 3rd party developed apps. Not supporting this will make me seriously reconsider other phones and OS "
Richard, change.org
"The end for digital freedom is already nearing, with all the new social media and age verification laws. The whole point of a computer is to store and process data, allowing you to do various tasks. You should be able to use a device without having to verify 50 million things and give up your identity, it's all just an excuse for the government to track you, create more censorship, and for the companies to sell more of your data. Android is an open mobile operating system, and it should stay that way. One of the main reasons I strongly prefer Android over iOS is how open Android is. This action Google is doing will not protect anything or anyone, it will just cause more drama. "
Angus, change.org
"Keep Andriod open! "
Andre, change.org
"I, as an Android user for 17 years, believe in, and chose Android for, device openness and the freedom of choice. To choose my device, the services I use, from where I download my applications, and to choose FOSS apps that don't require developer registration or sacrificing personal privacy by accepting trackers and/or unnecessary permissions being tied to my app usage. Choice and freedom is what built Android and differentiated it from other platforms, like iOS, Windows Mobile, and other early smartphone operating systems. The trend of destroying user choice through the inability to unlock bootloader and easily root devices, the effective and increasing destruction of the custom ROM community and options, and now the elimination of third party app stores that offer incredible FOSS apps with greater focus on user privacy is one more step Google and Android are taking towards an undesirable ecosystem for many of us who still choose Android for its few remaining, and quickly disappearing, advantages. The argument that Google is requiring developer registration and restricting the ability of alternative app stores, like F-Droid, to continue to thrive as legitimate and worthwhile options is anti-consumer and isn't to protect users. Rather, it's to give users and consumers less control over their devices and data and, in my opinion, that is unacceptable. "
Roger, change.org
"I bought a andropd because I wanted to have a free open and custom misable experience and now Google is taking that away from us I would rather pay for an iPhone no considering the fact to Google is doing this "
Carter, change.org
"I paid for this device and I can do whatever I want with it "
Marcus, change.org
"This one feature is the one thing that has kept me from using iphone, if google proceeds, there will be many people like me that will make the jump because android will have nothing else to offer in comparison, this is bad for everyone not just the ones that use apps outside play store, they really want to kill android brands just like this. I hope they don't commit to this horrible anti consumer change "
Miguel, change.org
"Many of the apps I use daily are FOSS. I would lose a very large portion of the functionality of my phone without them. Some have alternatives available in the Play Store, and some do not. Even for the ones that do have available alternatives, they are measurably worse - crowded with advertisements that make them unusable until you pay (usually a subscription) for the "Pro" version. Then, when the developer stops making enough money, the app breaks and/or disappears from the store. Many of the FOSS apps I use also do exactly what I need, where their alternatives require workarounds or focus on some additional "feature" that I couldn't care less about. There are also several apps that I acquired outside the Play Store that legitimately don't have alternatives, either because they have to violate the rules of the Play Store to function properly, or because the developer believes, as I do, that good software doesn't rely on the existence of a market to function. "
Zachery, change.org
"This will affect corporate privacy for those that rely on FOSS. Personal and Business privacy will be even more at risk if these changes are applied. From the Conglomerate owner to the DIY hobbyist, we will all be affected only negatively by this. So much of the world relies and depends of FOSS, and with the already dying privacy, many people are going to be literally put at risk of injury or cessation of life because of these changes. No this isn't an overstatement, I'm serious. The amount of NDIS and NDIA workers that use FOSS to protect their clients and their information is staggering. And this will effectively cause them to provide a lower quality service. "
Tobias, change.org
"The whole reason Android is superior to other os is because its an open platform. If you change what makes it great....then its no longer great. Its a copy cat IOS falling in line with everyone else and no longer blazing its own path. "
Michael, change.org
"I originally chose android so I can learn and make things with apk packages, modify my phone and practice security and privacy. Also to break away from the apple cult. If google goes through with it, that'll betray myself and so many others who feel the same. "
Christopher, change.org
"I regularly use FOSS apps and apps I've been bringing with me in APK form from phone to phone, and the promise of being able to develop and run my own code has been part of what's kept me using Android all these years. For Google to then yank the rug out from under us is a betrayal of the highest order, and for what? Shareholders? To feed the addiction held by seemingly every person in a seat of power to know exactly what a given Android owner ate for breakfast on any given date? What a fall from grace from a company that once touted the mottos "Don't be evil" and "Do the right thing." "
Catherine, change.org
"Our phones, our choice!!! "
Robert, change.org
"I have used my own, or other developers' custom APKs in the past, and do not want to be locked into app store(s) only! "
Collin, 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
"This is the sole reason that people choose Android over iOS and removing it removes another layer of customization that Android was known for. "
Isaac, change.org
"I sent info and link to large group of IT guys on WhatsApp and also on my Facebook: Google, being in a dominant position, wants to block the ability to install applications on Android phones from independent developers - enthusiasts. "
Zibi, change.org
"this will kill the freedom that android provides and will make you lose a lot of customers you're gonna lose a ton of money from this stupid change "
Jimmy, change.org
"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
"At one point in time, IOS allowed side loading, which is how I was able to play emulators on my iPod back then. Now, much of what I remember being allowed to do is either behind a paywall, or outright prevented. I (we)moved on to Android to escape those restrictions. Don't let Android turn into IOS, and keep your identity from being stolen! "
Alexander, change.org
"Android is the only system the you can do anything with. by closing it. there will be no privacy in the internet. "
jack, change.org
"Keep android app development open! "
Samuel, change.org
"I should be able to use any app I want on my phone "
Alejandro, change.org
"Remember when google was cool? "
Andrew, change.org
"I use android phones and coordinate my digital life using the Google ecosystem. I chose Android/Google because although I loved the iPhone and iOS, I didn't want to use a closed digital environment. I don't "sideload" apps on my phone, just like I don't "sideload" programs on my laptop. I install apps myself, outside of the Google Play Store. I've rooted many of my phones too, for many different reasons. There's nothing illegal going on, I simply want things on my phone to look and function a certain way. When Google takes away my ability to install apps myself in September, it will eliminate it's primary advantage over Apple. When my current phone contract ends I'll buy an iPhone instead of a Samsung or other Android OS phone. There are millions of other people, like myself, that will do the exact same thing. "
John, change.org
"With Google aiming to lockdown Android, what makes it any different than Apple? The only reason I and many others opt for Android is because it's openness! "
Christian, change.org
"Android's philosophy was based on openness. Google wants to take your freedom. They disguise it as security updates, but in reality, they want to rake even more profits and take control of your personal freedom. "
Tyler, change.org
"my devices are mine and mine only. any argument otherwise is tyrannical "
Dee, change.org
"I started using an Android device because of the freedom to use the software I wanted to use. If Google goes forward with these restrictions, I wont have any reason to use Android devices anymore. "
Luis, change.org
"The freedom and flexibility was literally the reason I never owned an iPhone. It's like Google wants me to use Ubuntu Touch or something... "
Katrina, change.org
"Tudo e todos vamossss "
Renato, change.org
"I've spent my entire youth and adult life trying my very best to curate tech that puts me in charge rather than some unaccountable corporation. Unfortunately not everyone has the luxury I do, and even my position is somewhat precarious. As a user of GrapheneOS, theoretically this change will not affect me directly, but that doesn't mean the ripples will not reach me. App developers are being hamstrung in such a way that I have no confidence whatsoever that these proposed changes to the Android ecosystem won't wind up killing useful and important apps that I use. Just using an unverified device is not enough, these changes must not go through. "
Ben, change.org
"As an open-source developer and enthusiast, Google requiring ID Verification is not only unethical, but unsafe, anti-competitor, monopolistic, and is one of the major reasons why people like me switched to using MicroG instead of GApps. "
Garry, change.org
"The ability to download apps directly from developers is one of the main differentials of Android from IOS. Limiting this will severely impact the market share of Android by removing basically any reason anyone would want to use Android over IOS. "
gabriel, change.org
"Take that away and you've destroyed Android. Google's trustworthiness is depths of hell low, and now you want even more control. Disgusting. The last bastion for Android was it's open freedoms compared to Apple, explicitly the ability to install apps without the store without verification. Allowing me to build and install my own creations. You must envision everyone in the entire world as some consumer archetype that just has feeding tubes of corporate sludge go into the consumers digestive tract. You can't imagine anyone innovating for fun not profit, making art and exploring science without corporate approvals. Your world is disgusting and I hate it. "
Aiden, change.org
"I don't develop any apps, I do believe in freedom. Freedom to put whatever kind of gas I want in my vehicle(sorry EV's!). Freedom to make make some cash on the side whenever I decide to clean out my storage and have a garage sale. Freedom to choose what apps I can install on a device, running android os which I have rightly paid for. There are other options available Google if helping to keep people safe from running buggy apps on their devices is what you really care about. No need to try and be the app gatekeepers for the future. I pray someone snaps back to reality there before your company proceeds to far down this dark path. "
John, change.org
"Top muito bom "
Paulo, change.org
"Google's promise was that Android would remain an open ecosystem allowing developers to freely play in an open sandbox and build applications without requiring a central authority. Users are capable of determining and accepting risk on their own, and the barrier to sideloading is high enough to keep most general users safe. It's been shown that even Play Store's security reviews are not perfect and that malware makes its way onto the platform, so there is no basis for this change other than greed and overreach. "
Cameron, 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
"This is exactly why I will NEVER use Apple *anything* not even movies on Apple TV. I've championed Android since it first came on the scene in my 25+ years of work in the wireless industry because of the open source nature of Android. It is also why I have switch all my devices but one to Linux in place of Windows (They have forever lost my support). Open source matters. It's also what sets Android apart from Apple. I will absolutely not purchase another Android device going forward if it is no longer open source. I have no problem falling back to a basic phone and running open source OSes on my PC, gaming handhelds and the like. This, to me, feels akin to the idea of the United States just erasing the first amendment. I doubt words will change your mind, but my dollars will back my opinion. It's sad that Google has decided to go this route. You've fallen so far since the beginning. I remember getting my Gmail account with beta invite. I remember being happy to see Google become a publicly traded company. I fear now I'll remember how Google became a huge disappointment. At least it's an interesting story seeing first hand the rise and fall of a search engine who's name became a verb because it was so superior. To just become a huge bully to the types of users that propped you up from the start. Of course jailbreaking will happen but how does that improve security? How does that differentiate you from the competition? "
Jeremy, change.org
"WE WANT CHOICES! "
Cindy, change.org
"Hello, I have been using Android my whole life and I had always disliked IOS due to its highly locked down operating system and hearing that android (Google) wants to lock down android from 3rd party creators really hurts because not everyone can afford to publish an app onto the Google play store. also due to the fact android is the biggest OS worldwide many devices such as "Meta Quest" use android and they're store for applications would get shut down and cause many problems if they (Google) goes through with this plan. Especially as somebody who is soon to make and upload applications for Android this can be very limiting. Keep Android Open. Don't turn it into IOS. "
sqidwerd, change.org
"Android is all about being open. Removing the ability to install apps without the play store destroys this freedom. This will kill the dreams of young app developers, and will hurt high-quality open source apps that don't have the funding to pay to Google. This move will stifle app development innovation, and will hurt users by removing choice. Without free choice, I am left asking the question "Why Android anymore?" If Android is locked down like IOS, maybe going with Apple is better. I hope I don't have to switch to IOS. "
Austin, change.org
"The device that you bought that you own should not have any restrictions added after the purchase of what you can or cannot download onto said device. What (Google) is trying to do is going directly against that. "
Emilie, change.org
"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
"hell yea stop google "
Lewis, 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
"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
"Yoo wtf? Cant live like dat "
Abs, change.org
"android needs to be free and google has to stop controlling what users can do with their phones and devices. they are NOT our parents. we can do what the heck we want!!! "
Carlos, change.org
"The only reason I've stuck with Android all these years has been its open ecosystem. If that's removed, I'd switch to Apple in a heartbeat. "
Anjali, change.org
"If I choose to install a piece of software written by someone who "isn't verified" on my device that is my business, not Google's. To Google : Right now, one of the few remaining reasons I would choose an Android device over an iOS device is due to the presence of alternate app stores, like F-Droid that allow me to install open source apps. If I lose that ability, why would I continue to use Android over the competition? Don't be evil. "
Cameron, change.org
"This petition is important because as an open source developer and long-time Android enthusiast, the freedom of installing software on a device I own is mandatory. Android is fun and customizable, let's ensure that both developers and users can continue to enjoy their devices without restrictions. "
Benjamin, change.org
"I really like the apps that I have found outside of the Google play store. I would be really upset to lose them and for them to stop working "
Jason, change.org
"I use android because its easy to mod and customize. If I own the device, I want complete control of it. That comes with the understanding that my modifications could break it . If we lose sideloading and indie and open source development, we'll just have to stray further from the platform to find it again. In a world where the easy to access services and products are becoming increasingly controlled and locked down to the detriment of the consumer, there's real benefit to be had in being one of the few exceptions. "
Cole, change.org
"If this update is released, I will switch to iPhone. "
Miguel, 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
"Stop Google "
Sa, change.org
"As a user, I will always opt to sideload apps whenever possible. Whether I need a photo editor, keyboard app, audio equalizer app, or any other kinds of apps, I consistently seek open-sourced sideloading options before I even consider using the Google Play Store. Whenever I need any mobile app that isn't social, I prioritize finding an open-sourced app solution. With Google's dominance in the global mobile OS market, it's clear they will attempt to restrict any freedoms of their OS that they can get their hands on if they're not stopped. The importance of maintaining the freedom to sideload apps has never been more critical. Legislative initiatives like the App Store Accountability Act, which pushes users into surrendering personal private details to proprietary third-party solutions for identity verification, underscore why sideloading is a crucial defense line. If Google is allowed to proceed with implementing these restrictions, users will likely get funneled into using its proprietary app store, forced to share personal information like age and biometric data that links back to them for targeted ads and surveillance. Google's push for limiting sideloading is a textbook case of anti-competitiveness as well. The danger of this change can be summed up in an analogy: if some people occasionally get food poisoning from non-vetted sources, should we altogether limit food access to vendors that are deemed as, 'approved' or 'verified' by a multibillion-dollar, anti-consumer corporation? If this decision doesn't get shot down, there is a risk of being forced to give up personal privacy, autonomy, and choice. "
Matthew, change.org
"As a kid, I used to think iPhone, and iOS as a whole, was great. As I thought "people don't need alot of things, they have everything they want." Until I had a Google Pixel 6 Pro for Christmas. It became my tinkering device, and allowed me to access things, I never knew I wanted. And it allowed me to have access things that usually would've costed my family a pretty penny. By forcing verification "
Josue, change.org
"Really hurting developers with this move. I implore those that are have good conscience left at google to re-evaluate. "
Calvin, change.org
"Third party apps make my phone so much more functional and versatile for my own personal needs. It's why I choose Android over Apple. Giving less options to all of us will only make the user experience worse for everyone. "
Jorri, change.org
"Your OS literally wouldn't exist without Linux. Stick to the "
Caleb, change.org
"Android earned its place in the market because it was open. The ability to sideload applications isn't a loophole — it's a feature, and a promise. It's what set Android apart, attracted developers, and gave users real ownership over their devices. That openness, rooted in the same Linux principles Android was built on, is the reason Google is where it is today. Restricting sideloading would be a profound betrayal of that foundation. It trades user freedom for platform control, and developer trust for gatekeeper revenue. It is, in short, pulling up the ladder after climbing it. I believe many in this community — developers, enthusiasts, and everyday users alike — feel the same way. We chose Android because it respected our autonomy. If that changes, so will our choices. I urge Google to listen to this community and protect what made Android worth building for in the first place. "
Felix, change.org
"Android is about freedom, not control this change will ruin android forever "
Eli, change.org
"hopefully this does not become one more avenue for freedom and expression that gets restricted by corprate over greed and government overreach. "
manz, change.org
"This will be the end of the android power user base, and will likely completely fracture things as open source os developers will be forced to do a complete fork. "
Matt, change.org
"To quote Louis Rossmann: "A phone is essentially a computer, and you should have the autonomy to install whatever programs you want in your computer." (or something like that) Still, we can't deny that this is Google being petty for a multitude of reasons *cough* YouTube ADS *cough* and hopping aboard the "hand over your [government issued ID]" train in their own way. And apparently, they're going after our hardware with this one, since they just realized they can't prevent users from fiddling with software server-side. Again, there are plenty of privacy-invading and data-harvesting apps on the Play Store itself, but the data also goes to Google, so they're buddy-buddy on that. Anyway, you probably already know the rest of the script at this point. Now, onto my personal experience, I love the fact that I can install so many quality and useful open source apps made by developers who, (I'm probably underestimating here) sometimes, made those apps out of a personal need. Third party GApps front-ends, more tools than I can count, NewPipe forks, gallery apps that won't harvest data in the background — all of those, open source, with no trackers and no free data for Google, which is another reason why they're doing this. "
some dude, change.org
"Google, don't make me get the spray bottle. "
Skipps, change.org
"The promise was an open and free OS "
Daniel, change.org
"As a life long android user who is also part of open source communities, I have to speak my voice on how this goes against everything about why the people love Android. I've always shared how amazing Android is specifically being able to sideload apps outside of Google Play unlike Apple. I love being able to use my device the way I please in comparison of it being "locked down." The whole sole purpose of Android is for it to have an it open source approach for developers and consumers. I am not a developer, but as a open/close source consumer I cannot express enough how much I truly appreciate have open source applications as an option besides Google Play store. I really hope Google can find a way that we can all be one big happy family and continue what is already great. LET US KEEP OUR ANDROID FREEDOM! "
Justin, change.org
"Anyone from brazil here? "
Luis, 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
"Google should stop killing Android "
Rafael, change.org
"I have always used android because of the control I have over MY phone. Installing whatever apps I want from WHEREVER I want is one if the main reasons I prefer android! I will do everything I can to keep this from happening! "
Britanie, change.org
"I've been an user of Android based phones for a very long time. I am fully against the idea of this move Google is trying, as it is just another notch in the attempted censorship and surveillance of the internet as a whole. If this move is allowed to go through, I will find workarounds or work towards getting a third party phone deal where I don't have to deal with this. These big tech companies should not have the authority to force us to bend to them. We have the power to make them back down. Let our voice be heard. Boycott these companies and make them lose money. The moment their financial gains are threatened, they will surrender. "
Brandon, change.org
"There are so many useful apps outside of the play store, including medical apps. It would limit us and restrict our freedoms to do as well please with OUR phones. Android began as an alternative to IOS that didn't limit side loading and alternative apps. Android restricting APKs is a violation of what they stand for and our rights as smartphone owners. This cannot happen. "
Lia, change.org
"IT'S ABSURD WHAT GOOGLE IS TRYING TO DO ON ANDROID, ANDROID USERS AND ANDROID DEVICES ABOUT LOCKING THE SYSTEM SO WE CAN'T INSTALL APPS DOWNLOADED FROM WEBSITES AND DOWNLOADED FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE. GOOGLE DOES NOT OWN OUR DEVICES AND WE HAVE THE FULL RIGHT TO DO WHAT WE WANT WITH OUR DEVICES BECAUSE WE PAY FOR THEM. "
Wagner, change.org
"Open Source change my life, and it's really awesome, not just for the Android ecosystem, for the tech industry in general "
abel, change.org
"I use Android specifically because it is a more open platform. I develop apps for myself and family members and I have no intention of becoming any kind of approved developer just to continue to do that. This is an absolute bait and switch to the most loyal of Android users and is going to drive many of us to seek out alternative operating systems. And sadly makes me want to de-google my life even further. "
greg, change.org
"Stop Google censorship "
André, change.org
"We need to keep Android open! "
Caleb, change.org
"dear android, you are doing what you did to unlimited photo storage and making it limited. i have been eyeing the linux cell phone ecosystem for awhile and hope that is my option if you decide to limit and cripple the ecosystem you helped build. i have been degoogling my services like photos, drive, gmail, and calendar. if you change for the worse, i will change for the better "
michael, change.org
"It started with apple restricting our freedoms to software due to their desire to control their users. Now that same desire to control us has reached android a platform built on freedom. This is the final stance we can take against a future where you own nothing in the name of safety. "
Barrett, 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
"our digital freedom continues to erode as the years pass, gotta try to slow the degradation "
Kanji, change.org
"Let open software environments stay open! Android has something unique that iOS does not, and it would be a shame to pursue the same locked-down “streamlined” experience. Personally, this change will stop me from purchasing an Android or Google device in the future, which is a shame because the open-environment nature of Android was the main appeal for me, and I know for many others. I believe this decision will alienate a large population of current, and potential future Android users. "
Ryan, change.org
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