Seu telefone está prestes a deixar de ser seu.
A partir de 2027*, uma atualização silenciosa, imposta sem consentimento pelo Google, bloqueará todo aplicativo Android cujo desenvolvedor não se registrou no Google, não assinou o contrato e não pagou ...
Todos os aplicativos e todos os dispositivos, em todo o mundo, sem opção de não participar.
↓O que o Google está fazendo
Em agosto de 2025, o Google anunciou um novo requisito: a partir de 2027, todos os desenvolvedores de aplicativos Android deverão se registrar centralmente junto ao Google antes que seu software possa ser instalado em qualquer dispositivo. Não apenas os aplicativos da Play Store: todos os aplicativos. Isso inclui aplicativos compartilhados entre amigos, distribuídos através do F-Droid, criados por amadores para uso pessoal. Desenvolvedores independentes, grupos religiosos e comunitários, assim como amadores, serão impedidos de desenvolver e distribuir seus softwares.
O registro implica em:
- Pagar uma taxa ao Google
- Concordar com os Termos e Condições do Google
- Entregar o seu documento de identidade oficial emitido pelo governo
- Apresentar provas da sua chave de assinatura privada
- Listar todos os identificadores de aplicativo, atuais e futuros
Se um desenvolvedor não cumprir as regras, seus aplicativos serão bloqueados automaticamente em todos os dispositivos Android do mundo inteiro.
Quem é prejudicado por isso
Você
Você comprou um celular Android porque o Google disse que era um sistema aberto. Você poderia instalar o que quisesse, e esse era o acordo.
O Google está agora reformulando esse acordo, com efeito retroativo, no hardware que você já possui. Após a atualização, você só poderá executar softwares pré-aprovados pelo Google. No seu próprio celular: seu dispositivo, pelo qual você pagou.
Desenvolvedores independentes
O primeiro aplicativo de um adolescente, uma ferramenta de privacidade criada por um voluntário ou uma versão beta interna confidencial de uma empresa. Não importa. Em 2027, nenhum desses aplicativos poderá ser instalado sem a aprovação do Google.
A F-Droid, que hospeda milhares de aplicativos Android gratuitos e de código aberto, classificou isso como uma ameaça "existencial". Cory Doctorow chama isso de "Darth Android".
Governos & sociedade civil
O Google tem um histórico comprovado de acatar as exigências de regimes autoritários quando estes solicitam a remoção de aplicativos. Com esse programa, o software executado pelas instituições do seu país ficará à mercê de uma única empresa estrangeira que não presta contas a ninguém.
A EFF considera controles de acesso à aplicativos "um caminho cada vez mais fácil para a censura na internet".
A "saída de emergência" do Google é uma armadilha
O Google afirma que os "usuários avançados" podem "ainda instalar" aplicativos não verificados. Veja como isso realmente funciona:
- Acesse as Configurações do Sistema e localize as Opções de Desenvolvedor
- Toque no número da versão sete vezes para ativar o Modo de Desenvolvedor
- Ignore os alertas alarmistas sobre coerção
- Digite seu PIN
- Reinicie o dispositivo
- Aguarde por 24 horas
- Volte, feche mais telas de alerta
- Escolha entre "permitir temporariamente" (7 dias) ou "permitir indefinidamente"
- Confirme, mais uma vez, que compreende "os riscos"
Nove etapas. Um período de espera obrigatório de 24 horas. Para instalar software em um dispositivo de sua propriedade.
Pior ainda: esse fluxo opera inteiramente por meio do Google Play Services, e não do sistema operacional Android. O Google pode alterá-lo, restringir seu acesso ou desativá-lo a qualquer momento, sem a necessidade de atualização do sistema operacional e sem precisar de consentimento.
Isso vai além do Android
Se o Google pode bloquear retroativamente bilhões de dispositivos que foram vendidos como plataformas abertas, todos os fabricantes de hardware do mundo estarão de olho nisso.
O precedente que está sendo estabelecido: a empresa que fabricou o seu dispositivo decide, depois que você o comprou, qual software você tem permissão para executar. No mundo do software, isso é chamado de "rug pull"; mas, pelo menos, você sempre podia instalar um software concorrente. No hardware, trata-se de um fato consumado que tira de você o poder de decisão e o deixa à mercê dos caprichos de um único guardião irresponsável e monopolista convicto.
A abertura do Android nunca foi apenas um recurso. Era a promessa que o diferenciava do iPhone. Milhões de pessoas escolheram o Android exatamente por esse motivo. Agora, o Google está revogando essa promessa unilateralmente, em dispositivos que já estão nos bolsos das pessoas, porque decidiu que possui domínio de mercado e influência regulatória suficientes para se safar dessa.
Ars Technica: "A inveja do Google pela Apple ameaça desmantelar o legado aberto do Android."
Mas espere, isso não é...
"...só sobre segurança?"
O argumento da segurança é uma cortina de fumaça. O Google Play Protect já verifica a presença de malware independentemente da identidade do desenvolvedor. Exigir um documento de identidade oficial não torna o código mais seguro. Isso torna os desenvolvedores identificáveis e controláveis. Os autores de malware podem se registrar. Desenvolvedores independentes e dissidentes, muitas vezes, não conseguem. A EFF é direta: o controle de acesso baseado em identidade é uma ferramenta de censura, não de segurança.
"...possível fazer sideloading se você usar o fluxo avançado?"
Nove etapas, espera de 24 horas, escondido nas Opções do Desenvolvedor, disponibilizado por meio de um serviço proprietário que o Google pode revogar quando quiser. Isso não é instalação paralela. É um mecanismo de dissuasão criado para garantir que quase ninguém consiga concluir o processo. E como ele funciona por meio do Play Services, e não do sistema operacional, o Google pode restringir ou desativá-lo discretamente.
"...um problema somente se você tem algo a esconder?"
Informantes, jornalistas e ativistas que vivem sob governos autoritários serão as primeiras vítimas. As pessoas em situações de violência doméstica são as próximas. Todos esses grupos têm motivos legítimos para distribuir ou usar software sem que sua identidade legal seja registrada em um banco de dados do Google. A contribuição anônima para o código aberto é uma tradição mais antiga do que o próprio Google. Essa política põe fim a isso no Android.
"...a mesma coisa que a Apple faz?"
A Apple tem sido um "jardim murado" desde o início. As pessoas escolheram o Android porque ele era diferente. Dizer que "A Apple também faz isso” é aceitar uma corrida para o fundo do poço e um fraco argumento tu quoque. E sob pressão regulatória (a Lei dos Mercados Digitais da UE), até mesmo a Apple está sendo forçada a se abrir. O Google está indo na direção oposta: tentando consolidar ainda mais seu status de centralizador.
"...só $25 e um pouco de burocracia?"
Talvez, se você for um desenvolvedor nos EUA com um cartão de crédito e uma carteira de motorista. Tente ser um estudante na África Subsaariana, ou um dissidente em Mianmar, ou um voluntário que mantém um aplicativo comunitário de saúde. O custo não é apenas financeiro: você está entregando sua identidade oficial e suas chaves de assinatura a uma empresa que atende rotineiramente às exigências do governo para remover aplicativos e expor desenvolvedores.
Reaja
Todos
- Instale a F-Droid em todos os dispositivos Android que você possui. As lojas alternativas só sobrevivem se as pessoas realmente as utilizarem.
- Entre em contato com as autoridades reguladoras. As autoridades reguladoras em todo o mundo estão genuinamente preocupadas com os monopólios e a centralização do poder no setor de tecnologia, e querem ouvir diretamente as pessoas afetadas e preocupadas.
- Compartilhe esta página. Compartilhe o link para keepandroidopen.org em todos os lugares.
- Enfrentem os "vendidos". O pessoal do "bem, na verdade..." está em força total. Não deixem que eles ditem o tom da discussão.
- Assine a petição em change.org e junte-se aos mais de 100.000 signatários que já fizeram ouvir suas vozes.
- Leia e compartilhe nossa carta aberta
- Diga ao Google o que você acha disso por meio do própria [pesquisa de verificação de desenvolvedores](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN3UQeNspQsZCO2ITkdzMxv81rJDEGGjO-UIDDY28Rz_GEVA/viewform? pli=1) (para que isso sirva de alguma coisa).
Desenvolvedores
Não se inscreva. Não participe do programa inscrevendo-se no Android Developer Console e concordando com seus Termos e Condições irrevogáveis. Não verifique sua identidade. Não entre no jogo.
O plano do Google só funciona se os desenvolvedores o seguirem. Não o siga.
- Convença outros desenvolvedores e organizações a não se registrarem.
- Adicione a biblioteca FreeDroidWarn aos seus aplicativos para alertar os usuários.
- Você tem um site? Adicione o banner de contagem regressiva.
Empregados do Google
Se você tiver alguma informação sobre a implementação técnica ou a lógica interna do programa, entre em contato com tips@keepandroidopen.org a partir de um computador que não seja do trabalho e de uma conta que não seja do Gmail. Garantimos total confidencialidade.
Todos estes se opõem…
71 oraganizações de 23 países assinaram a carta aberta
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Proton AG proton.me
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
April april.org
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
iodé iode.tech
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
CryptPad cryptpad.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Italian Linux Society ils.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
FUTO futo.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
Brave brave.com
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
F-Droid f-droid.org
Techlore techlore.tech
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
FULU Foundation fulu.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org O que estão dizendo
Imprensa especializada em tecnologia
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"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
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"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
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"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 says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
Editoriais & análises
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Android is not open anymore. It's not an alternative. It's not even trying. It's iOS with ads and spyware bolted on."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google 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
"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
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"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
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"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
"Although Google's claim is that this is for 'security', it does not prevent the regular practice of scammers buying up existing verified developer accounts."
Maya Posch, Hackaday
"Google'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
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Sideloading, a longstanding pillar of Android's openness, is now being marginalized, placing the Android platform closer to the walled-garden approach of Apple's iOS."
Purism
"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
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"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 story that this move is motivated by security is obviously bullshit. The idea that Google can improve Android's safety by certifying developers, rather than code, is obvious bullshit."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"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
"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
"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
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"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
"Google has announced what can only be described as a death blow to the open ecosystem that made Android. Under the guise of 'security,' Google is implementing draconian developer verification requirements."
AndroidSage
"This 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
"There is also the very real possibility that Google will leak your identity with the result that any apps with political implications could result in persecution and worse."
I-Programmer
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
Organizações & cartas abertas
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"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
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"Developers who build privacy-first browsers, encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, Tor-based software or tools for journalists and activists would be required to upload government ID to Google. These developers are unlikely to trust Google and might stop developing for Android."
Brave
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
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
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"Changes would impose barriers to entry for individual developers, small teams and volunteer projects by imposing fees, identity checks and terms that may not align with the principles of an open ecosystem."
Infosecurity Magazine
"This 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
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"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
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"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
"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
"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
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"Google's abusive approach to the Android operating system has only gotten worse in recent years. Software freedom is sorely lacking in the 'computers in our pockets' we call cell phones."
Free Software Foundation
"Google'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
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"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
"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
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"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 Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"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
YouTubers & criadores
"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
"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 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
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube
"Google 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
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google is 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
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – 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
"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."
The Linux Experiment – YouTube
"Google 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
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"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
"The fact of the matter is, this is my device. I paid a lot of money for it. I should be able to do with it what I want."
Switched to Linux – YouTube
"Google already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."
Techlore – YouTube
"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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
Desenvolvedores & comunidade
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, 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
"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 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 open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, 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
"If I go down this path, I will stop all development on Android. I implore all other developers to resist this. This will completely lock down the platform forever, there will be no going back."
BatteryMountain, Hacker News
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, 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
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, 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
"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
"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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), 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
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, 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
"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
"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
"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
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"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
"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
"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
"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
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
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
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, 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
"Google selling Android as both open source and open to running any software you like in order to quickly gain market share, only to break those promises after driving competing platforms out of the market is nothing more than fraud."
GeekyBear, Hacker News
"Whatever Google is doing kind of scares me. We have a big DIY community of diabetics in Germany running tools like AndroidAPS that cannot ever be distributed through official channels."
pimeys (Type 1 diabetic, DIY medical software), Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"I hate this so much. More and more I get the feeling I have no control over the devices I own. My fear is that Windows will eventually follow. For security reasons of course. It's the path we're on now."
cheesyvoetjes, Reddit
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"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
"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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"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
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"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
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"I buy a device with my own money, which I supposedly then own, but then I need to ask some corporation permission to use it."
askonomm, Hacker News
"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
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
Testemunhos da petição
"Fight for internet freedom/anonymity! "
m, change.org
"Liberdade ao Android! "
Guilherme, change.org
"Thair trying to take everything that gives free people power and control. We need to stop them, stop the billionaires, stop the corrupt officials, stop Israel, stop the child abusers. The more you undermine there control the better for it is for everyone. "
Octavio, change.org
"Android already provides security tools — Play Protect, install warnings, and permissions. These are the right solutions. A blanket lockdown is not security; it is control! "
Alex, change.org
"I find this measure deeply concerning. When I choose to buy an phone, it is with the expectation of having control over how I use it. A company should not decide how I use my devices. "
Abdoul, change.org
"I don't think that we should be filtered into buying something we do not want. Something as simply as a weather app should be free, news should be free, but the services that's being offered in app stores as free is usually filled with ads that leak personal information. "
Andre, change.org
"This change is disastrous for both the privacy of developers and the general health of the open source software community for android. Keep Android Open!! Let us install what we want, without asking for your permission. "
Thomas, change.org
"Android will no longer be what it was initially pitched to be, a phone OS with the freedom to do virtually anything you wanted. After many years of owning android phones I have had to move to iPhone as I can no longer stand how google operates and what they are doing to restrict the android OS. "
Aiden, change.org
"If you are or were a student in information engineering, many of you likely took a class on developing applications for Android devices. However, this specification change is something that will shake the foundations of such courses. Things that could previously be done by simply installing apps onto a physical device will now require cumbersome application procedures, an act that significantly lowers student motivation. "
中院, change.org
"KEEP ANDROID OPEN SOURCE "
Tomica, change.org
"Enough freedoms have been taken away, so leave the tech ALONE!!! "
John, change.org
"Android has always been my favorite platform because I can download apps externally, often community-created apps with various benefits. Removing this option from Android is like erasing its very essence. "
Davi, change.org
"Promote Foss and let's talk about the next phone OS "
james, change.org
"Mandating government identification and a registration fee to share software is a direct violation of the open-source principles and digital privacy that defined the platform. This change creates an unnecessary financial barrier for independent developers and students, effectively stifling global innovation and the creation of niche, non-commercial tools. By positioning itself as the sole gatekeeper of all app installations, Google is stripping away user autonomy and transforming a once-free ecosystem into a restrictive "walled garden." "
Ibrahim, change.org
"Nós vencemos Google idiota 😆😆😆😆😆 "
Bruno, change.org
"Google, you are tearing down the very empire you built through the Android system. I hope that before 2026 you Google team resolve this, otherwise I will opt for an iPhone. "
Alan, change.org
"This would simply make me walk away from using android devices, you act like android is the only phone OS out there and it's not. Linux is a powerful tool, so don't be foolish Google. "
Christopher, change.org
"When I purchase a device I have the right to own it. Otherwise why pay for it. We already disclose ID and pay Google for apks. We chose android over apple only due to the freedom that used to be. If you do not back off all of us will ditch our androids and apple as we do not need more stalking in our lives. People have been creative you know. 🫥 "
S, change.org
"Google already limited us with Android apps that are from the Play Store, now they want to censor even more?? What's the goal behind all this?! Control?? And I'm from Brazil, why Brazil was in first place regarding this??? Is the law more important than the customers? So why are they adopting ideas that Restrict consumer Freedom??? Don't you think about the Well-Being of People, of the Consumer!??? All of this is a Game to me, and you're Using the Controller for Pleasure, NOT for the Good of Society in General! That's why I'm Really Against this law!! "
Bruno Eduardo, change.org
"As a FOSS android developer, that has developed two educational projects both free and licensed open source for android, and quite frankly developed a lot of my programming skills on this platform, I am DISGUSTED with the decision to cut off FOSS developers like this. "
Vincent, change.org
"Keep android open! "
Giuseppe, change.org
"One of the core principals of Android has been consumer choice. Especially in the current day, it's more important than ever that the consumer can choose where to get their software from. As a developer myself, I do not want to and WILL NOT sign up for the developer verification program, as Google has no right to tell me what I can do with my device. I do not trust any company to keep me safe, and especially not when they're overreaching into the personal lives and choices of the everyday user. Even from a consumer quality of life perspective, this change is hugely detrimental. Google Play is infested with ads, bad faith apps, sponsorships, and so much more I do not want to see. Alternative storefronts give users the choice to avoid clunky, nasty pieces of software and choose what workflow is best for them. I beg, please reconsider this choice and keep consumer's rights intact. "
Alexander, change.org
"One of the reasons that people want to use Android is because of its freedom in installing apps. Locking it is like shooting your feet. "
John, change.org
"I see why this could be a potential issue if this does happen. Hopefully it doesn't go through and it stays the same. "
Gavin, change.org
"The best part of android is the freedom to do what we want, downloading fan made apps and such is the freedom we like its kinda only reason people buy androids "
Andrew, change.org
"Forcing developers to pay fees and hand over identifying documentation will never be the solution to malware. It creates opportunities for censorship, removes one of the major reasons uses android over apple products. As a hobbyist developer, I do not wish to throw my identity left and right just to run my own app on my own phone that I have no intention of publishing. If I do, it would be open source for others to use and when the time comes that I wish to sell an app, sure I will register to the Google play store or any other store as needed. "
Christopher, change.org
"This is absolute NUTS. I have some small apps I made that simply allow me to copy text to and from the clipboard to a central server I run, and I have programs on other OS's that can access it in a similar way. It's possibly THE most useful program I ever wrote in my life as I use it nearly every day. The idea that I have to pay to do the google dance just to run my own damn code is insane. Being able to run whatever software we like and access the file system is the whole point of android. Without that, we might as all just pay apple tax. "
Jonathan, change.org
"Also consider giving money towards the Graphene OS at grapheneos.org/donate "
Adam, change.org
"Yoo wtf? Cant live like dat "
Abs, 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
"Android is dying but we shall together to save Android. "
Elmer, change.org
"This is concerning for educators and hobbiests using Android phones as feature-rich platforms for learning "
Geoff, change.org
"The reason I use Andoid is because of its openess, I would not be using a Samsung or Google device if it didn't mean I could download and boot my own OS or developp my own apps for fun without having to jump through hoops. I also use APKs on the regular because they allow better backwards compatibility with older versions of Android and ease of installation. FOSS for the win. "
Nico, change.org
"if there is no evolution there must be revolution "
Joshua, change.org
"If Scroogle were ever to block sideloading on Android, it would fundamentally change what makes Android…Android. Sideloading isn’t a loophole. It’s a feature. It’s part of the open philosophy that originally set Android apart from more locked-down ecosystems like Apple’s iOS. If sideloading disappears, users no longer truly “own” their devices, they’re renting permission to use them. No more installing open-source, privacy-friendly, and competitive apps, everything is now strictly controlled and monitored by the data-hungry scroogle monopoly. Here's hoping the EU steps in and fines them trillions this time, 'cause the data-hungry devils running scroogle (and microsoft too) just keeps showing that they can't be trusted with ANYTHING. "
Raashid, change.org
"Dystopian, unaccountable corporate control and rug pulling. "
Ethan, change.org
"I use android for one and one singular reason. Freedom. If I download malware, that's my own damn fault! Being "approved" by google just means following their political agenda, never these protective measures mean anything good. We didn't asked for this, no consumer wants this, WE DON'T NEED PROTECTION. WE. AREN'T. CHILDREN! "
Henrique, change.org
"This is a step towards global disaster... Letting Google and Apple control any and all functionality you have on your handheld computer is absolutely absurd. The right android phone can be tuned to a perfect workhorse and sidekick, this new Android Developer Verification Requirement would kill any hope of having personalized and properly functional phones whilst letting Google choose exactly what Developers get to provide tools, collect your data, and offer in-app purchases. I think we all know Google has ruined almost every program on these devices already: accessing local files on the device requires that you use their "google files app" which is ridiculous and clearly them trying to take control where they shouldnt; photos is now "google photos"; wallet? google.; calendar? google; want to have a phone without some BS ai or something hard baked into it? well too bad! assistant cant be turned off; these little briefings with ads that pop up when you unlock your phone?; the adds in the weather app?; how about when you want to go to the nearest restaurant, just trust google to take you there i guess. Here's a very important part of all this: notice that Google replaces all of your PRIVATE apps! My files, which are private, are no longer private since by default the files app is a Google app now. My photos, which are private, owned by Google. My super secure offline location which holds my bank cards, very private, now online and stored somewhere by Google, the company that paid millions to cover up a data breach of 53 million users from 2015 to 2018 (if you were wondering why your info shows up on so many dark websites, thanks incognito!). Pretty much in short: Google is trying to own and control society and this pretty much is a huge leap for them to get there. Don't get me started on Apple. "
Kaden, change.org
"Boa noticia "
Kleberson, change.org
"Google cannot restrict APKs. "
Ruan, change.org
"What Google wants to do is simply inhumane, simply unacceptable for those who use our beloved Android. "
Althe, change.org
"Apoio à liberdade "
Kayo Junior, change.org
"I can explain why I use Android, and therefore Google services, by the fact that Google used to care about its users, their rights, and their freedom. Although not as much as we would like. After what Google has presented, my phone will soon be no different from an iPhone. I'm not happy about this; I want freedom. I want the freedom to install the apps and APK files I choose, not just the ones I am "allowed" to download. "
Sviatoslav, 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
"The APK file structure is just a file that installs a package, like an EXE on Windows or a variety of extensions for Linux executable files. Our phones are ours, and they are computers; we should be allowed to treat them as ours and not be beholden to big tech deciding how to use our devices for us, we want to own our hardware and use it as we see fit. Give us our devices back and keep Android open! That was the entire appeal for Android dominating the market to begin with! If Android stops being open then there would be no difference between buying an Android and buying an iPhone anymore. "
Nicholas, change.org
"Censorship and authoritarian regime in the guise of security is asinine and should be illegal. Monopoly is illegal. Google is digging its own grave. "
Billy, change.org
"One of the main reasons I use Android is the ability to sideload applications—downloading APKs from trusted third-party developers. Now Google wants to limit that? Please don’t leave Android alone and don't take away the freedom it was built on. "
Suyaib, change.org
"To block sideload in all newer Android devices, not only for Pixel phones that Google own, is not going to enhance user's safety. It makes life more difficult for developers and you are taking away one of the only things that made Android better than Apple. If Google really wanted to enhance users' safety, they would verify better apps on their Play Store or implement a better antivirus that could scan apks and check for malware. I bought my phone and my tablet with my hardwork and money, I am not a child to not know what I should or shouldn't install inside my phone. Imagine if I couldn't install a necessary software in my computer or test my code just because Microsoft didn't approve of it? That would be absurd. It is my responsibility to know what I can or cannot install in my device, that is not up to a multi-billion company to decide. By blocking sideload, Google is breaking the trust they had from thousands of developers and millions of users of this OS. "
Bianca, change.org
"Stop Google censorship "
André, change.org
"Android, since it's existence, has always been about the user. Removing access to apps that millions of people use every day will shatter that foundation and make android indifferent to its competitors. "
Jack, change.org
"F droid is my primary way of installing apps. Blocking sideloading will fundamentally change how I use my phone, and make it impossible for me to use my phone in the way that I have for years. "
T, change.org
"You okay Google? Isolation is never the answer. Hope you feel better soon! "
Robert, change.org
"They just need to be killed. "
Erich, change.org
"Well google showed their true colours. Time to start migrating all my accounts away from them. What a joke. "
Jordan, change.org
"User Freedom is the Android standard, what the user chooses to do with his Android device is done under his own accountability. This is an attempt to monopolize and monetize the users "choice" by removing all avenues aside from google's approved path. Sideloading is not a risk that google is trying to protect their users from, it is a risk to their revenue that would come from selling you a tool made of easily copyable code, since all purchases made from apps installed through "normal means" give 30% of that revenue to google. What google wants is money, and they get money by placing their own guiding rails on your attention. they give you a free app that sustains itself with either some "full version purchase/subscription" or google's own ad platform. Their ads are another form of revenue to google, as well as app developers, though they have the downside of attempting to guide your attention away from what you're doing at the time and stimulate you into spending on whatever is being sponsored to be shown to you. There are thousands of apps on the play store, there are thousands more on other sources, and the very ones on the play store are subject to a policy of "update your app within x years or it will be removed from the play store;" this is a death sentence to any developer that simply wants to create a tool to help others by having to constantly update, then having to have some way to make it sustainable by some form of monetization since it's going to have an upkeep. It's either this, or being "doomed to obscurity outside the play store." In every step of the ladder of usage, google wants to have more money, search for an app, sponsored results first, then actual search query response, start downloading an app, the layout changes to show multiple carousels of sponsored apps "tailored to you," open an app, ads, wherever they can be, chosen by years of usage tracking and market control research, making money to google because companies will pay to have their names spread to gather attention, pay for services, subscriptions, and tools, giving 30% of it to google. A company like google measures its success by how much money they make, while the creators of tools, services, and games read through their mail, appreciating good reviews and crying about bad ones because passion is what led them to create. Take GitHub for example, a site comprised entirely to sharing code, entire project libraries free and open-source for anyone to use. Take StackExchange, multiple forums where questions and answers between experts of hundreds of subjects ranging from pure mathematics to writing to Dungeons & Dragons. Take Anna's Archive, a long-standing attempt to preserve literature media and providing methods to acces, preserve, and add to over 63 million books and 95 million papers, all for free. The average person is not me, but the average person includes large numbers of people younger than me that will accept whatever comes to their hands at the end of the day, it includes large numbers of people older than me that will be glad of an oversimplified process that won't take from their time. We need to be lucid enough to not waste time, the old will have too little time to care how they're being led, and the young will be raised into being led and believe it's natural. We need to show that our time is a value to each of us, and be strong enough to not sell our time to the well-oiled machine made to line a distant someone's pockets. "
Carlos, change.org
"Android giving users choice has been the staple point of android OS. Removing choices like sideloading apps is not the correct move instead Google should be helping ways to improve Android and allow developers to make it better. "
Ava, change.org
"The advantage of Android is precisely its freedom to choose what to do with your system and applications, just as developers have the freedom to choose where to distribute. Please do not limit the installation of APKs. There is already a warning and optional block for “unknown” apps where we currently have choices. Do not trade freedom for a false sense of security! "
Matheus, change.org
"The ability to download and install APK's from any source is a choice that should not be taken from users. It's the whole reason Android OS is successful now. Taking away choice will drive users to seek out other software solutions. Keeping Android Open is important to stop corporate overeach, unnecessary tracking and selling of user data, and keeping software available and fair. "
Christopher, change.org
"If this happens, Android will ko longer be an open platform with options. Google and other OEMS that they work with will be the only ones who can dictate what your own personal device can run. This also completely halts hobbyist and low income development by cutting off an extremely accessible platform and imposing a fee (Which could very easily turn into an Apple style subscription later.). So, people will not be able to easily to learn, experiment, and practice with mobile app development. Only the very few with sufficient disposable money will be able to do it. "
Jeffrey, change.org
"If Android becomes closed like iOS there's no reason to keep using it. "
Emanuel Victor, change.org
"While thinking walled garden is a way to milk customers even more when you already collecting , selling , sharing the customer's data even tho the customers already paid for the device , services already. You are basically taking away and ignoring the customer's autonomy and disrespecting us all. "
ilayda, change.org
"I hope Google returns to its origins. Chrome and Android are open source, just like Google and YouTube are networks accessible to everyone. Limiting this is limiting yourself. Governments can attack individuals, and if there's a monopoly by Google and Apple, you'll be the ones targeted and censored. Don't allow that! We already have restrictions on the main networks like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. New social networks are already emerging. If you limit Android, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot and opening space for competitors to take your place. "
Valberto, 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
"I'm getting so sick of governments/ corporations thinking they can just take away our right to privacy online under the guise of "security", and the more they're able to get away with it, the more we'll see it happening. I'm not a developer and I barely use 3rd party apps, but that doesn't mean I won't fight for our ability to use our phones as we see fit "
Danielle, change.org
"They are literally going against the reason people even buy Android phones in the first place "
Lightis, 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
"Being an "approved developer" is such a stupid word. Android was known for the freedom of developers and now we are being silenced. "
Kash, change.org
"I personally knew Android because of it's open nature. Seeing this made me heartbroken. I am all about rooting so sideloading is a crucial part in some rooting operations I do on my device. Now I can't have any more cool mods on my device anymore. Thanks Google. "
chau, change.org
"I switched to android specifically because I felt like it was truly a device I OWNED. I used Apple in the past but hated the amount of features that were gate kept. Having the ability to download open source apps on my android device has reshaped the way I use my phone and has made my workflows significantly better. This new change will not only completely destroy the open source ecosystem I've become accustomed to, but will actively turn away myself, and Android's main user base. What's the point of ruining your reputation and the only real reason to own an android device? "
Steven, change.org
"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
"The Google need to stop "
ghost, change.org
"You have to ask yourself. What is google's motivation and it's simple power ingredient "
D., change.org
"I release my apps on Github, this change will make my apps unusable. "
Mitch, change.org
"We need Android still an open platform that we could run our own applications on that!We never allow Google change Android into an locked-down platform, it is murdering the Android Development! "
Zhou, change.org
"As a amateur developper involved in game development and fanmade communities, this decision would mean the death of a lot of project. This is unnaceptable! "
Morgane, change.org
"is the monopoly finally going to end? "
Rafael, change.org
"Google is essentially deciding to kill their own identity with this move. Side loading apps is a for of freedom that is the core reason people use android. Without this it's just a worse version of iOS... And no one wants that. This move if not corrected will start a movement they don't want and will grow the development of a true Linux based is for phones. This is a greed move. A power move they want full control and to lock developers into their own store front. It's sad really... A pathetic move that will hurt then in the end. I hope they change their mind.. if not I guess I will be going custom firmware on this pixel and strip Google from the device entirely. "
Adam, change.org
"As a developer who has long relied on Android’s open ecosystem, I am writing to express my strong opposition to Google’s new policy requiring all developers to register centrally with Google—even to distribute apps outside the Play Store. I understand the need for security, but Android already has robust, built-in safeguards that don't require this level of control. This new mandate forces every developer to submit to Google’s terms, pay a fee, and provide a government ID simply to offer apps through my own website or a third-party store. This fundamentally breaks what made Android "Android." My concerns are straightforward: Barriers to Entry: This creates friction for independent developers, open-source projects, and small teams who cannot absorb these compliance costs. Privacy & Surveillance: It creates a global database of every developer, tracking those who actively choose to avoid Google’s ecosystem. Arbitrary Power: It gives Google unilateral power to disable any app, from any developer, for any reason, across the entire Android ecosystem. Anti-Competitive: It allows Google to surveil competitive threats and market trends outside its own store, using that data to undermine rivals. The existing measures—sandboxing, user warnings, and Google Play Protect—have served us well for seventeen years. No evidence has been presented that these are insufficient. I urge Google to rescind this policy immediately. Turning Android into a centrally controlled platform where one corporation acts as the gatekeeper for all software is a threat to innovation, digital sovereignty, and the open principles that built this ecosystem. I ask Google to work with us, not against us, to find solutions that respect both security and freedom. "
Reese, change.org
"Eliminating side loading will remove the main competitive edge that Android has over iOS, remove the open nature that users enjoy and prevent certain use cases. "
Chris, change.org
"This will effectively remove the android edge over apple. Modifying my phone is the main reason I choose not just android but GOOGLE PIXEL phone and accessories. Literally a huge market mistake. Signed by android consumer and advocate... "
Michael, 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
"There has always been more freedom with Android and that is why people choose it. Taking this freedom away will take your customers away. We will always find or create another option. "
Danny, change.org
"The whole entire point of an Android phone is that you have freedom and a choice in matters like this. Taking away that choice is basically taking away the entire point of buying an Android over any other phone. We deserve the choice. "
Madison, change.org
"I truly care about the direction Android might take. The freedom to install apps outside the official store has always been part of its essence — enabling innovation, access, and choice for millions of people. Limiting this is not just a technical change, it is a change in philosophy. Technology should empower the user, not restrict them. I hope the future of Android remains open, free, and in the hands of those who matter most: us. "
Marcelo, change.org
"Android has always been the free alternative to iOS’s restrictions. Without the freedom we’ve come to understand, what’s the draw to this OS? I’ve had some interest in small app development, but if this goes through it will kill that interest dead. "
Katylyn, change.org
"Google is trying to remove any ownership of a device that I bought and paid for. If they wanted to make it some what more difficult to side load in order to prevent people accidentally installing non-reputable apps, that would be understandable, however there complete blocking of installing apps on my own device shows an irreverence for my personal property. "
Ryan, change.org
"It's disappointing that Google wants to take away the only good thing about Android. I said it last time and I'll say it again: if they do it, I'm switching to Apple. There won't be any difference anyway. "
Rubén, change.org
"Android phones letting me control my apps in my way is why I love and stick with Android. I can't support upstart developers without our current APK framework. A future without one of the lead reasons I own an Android phone, is a future where I just stop owning a phone. "
Kyle, change.org
"I wanted to switch to android because I liked the ability to still have acess to older apps and software when it no longer works. I currently have an Iphone and can no longer use older versions due to the age of my phone. Hearing this news will definitely lead me to proabably buy an Iphone over android. I will no longer have the right to download cool apps like emulators or download apps that no longer work properly on the version of the phone and software I have. I believe Google needs to reverse it decision on banning sideloading. It is a free ecosystem and users understand the risks if they do it. It is unfair for all android phones to be affected because most phones use Android and I belive this monopoly on technology needs to stop. "
Kalista, change.org
"Google, go rethink your choices! what is wrong with companies nowadays?!?! "
am, change.org
"The only reason that I chose to switch to android and off of apple was due to the abillity to sideload apps. Without this feature, I will probably be switching back to apple because of its ecosystem. "
David, change.org
"let's go, ! Keep Android alive! "
jorge, change.org
"Don't tread on us Google! "
Trevor, change.org
"Android has long been censored by Google with aggressive and unfair privacy policies, for example, the screen that appears when you install an app from an external source. Not content with that, Google wants to take away the rest of the freedom that Android possesses, something that the creators of this system strongly advocate. "
Eduarda, change.org
"Choice and modification is the root of the Android platform. I should be able to install software I want on my own phone. If Android becomes a walled garden, then there will be no real reason to buy an Android, and I'll buy an Apple. "
Bailey, change.org
"This OS has been the only place that has felt free, the ability to download anything from anywhere is what a phone should be able to do. They trying to take away my freedom, and I refuse to bend the knee and accept it. "
Austin, change.org
"As a consumer, I bought and use Android platform devices because I care about my privacy and I care about accessing third-party applications that are not strictly on Google's Play Store. I utilize F-Droid and various other third-party app stores, and this would be a major impediment to me. I did not agree to Google pulling the rug from beneath me well after I bought several thousand dollar Android phones and devices. "
Stephen, change.org
"Sadly, this is yet another corporate power grab. The intentions behind this initiative don't make any sense (e.g. protecting users) unless you view it through the lens of corporate chokehold on user freedoms. I've been using android for many years because it was the only platform that allowed freedom for power users and this will change soon if the company doesn't change its posture. "
Jaime, change.org
"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
"I figured out how to play Minecraft Java Edition on my phone, and Google is trying to take that away from me? Besides that, there are probably dozens of unverified apps on my phone that I would REALLY like to keep, and Google requiring verification will basically turn my phone into a little YouTube machine. I hate that and you should too. "
David, change.org
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