Ваш тэлефон хутка перастане быць вашым.
Пачынаючы з 2027* года, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, будзе блакіраваць кожную праграму Android распрацоўшчык якой не зарэгістрыраваўся ў Google, не падпісаў кантракт, не заплаціў Google і не прадставіў свае дакументы
Кожная праграма і прылада, па ўсяму свету, без магчымасці адмовіцца.
↓Што робіць Google
У жніўні 2025, Google анасаваў нвоае патрабаванне: пачынаючы з 2027 года, кожны распрацоўшчык праграм Android павінен рэгістрыравацца ў Google перад тым, як ягоны софт зможа быць усталяваны. Не толькі праграмы Play Store: усе. Гэта ўключае праграмы, распаўсюджаныя паміж сябрамі, распаўсюджаныя з дапамогай F-Droid, створаныя для асобнага карыстання. Незалежныя распрацоўшчыкі, цэрквы, супольнасці і энтузіясты, верагодна, страцяць магчымасць распрацоўваць свае праграмы.
Рэгістрацыя патрабуе:
- Заплаціць унёсак Google
- Пагадзіцца на Умовы і Палітыкі Google
- Прадастаўленне дакументаў дзяржанага прыклада
- Прадстаўленне доказаў уладання прыватным ключом распрацоўшчыка
- Пералічэнне ўсіх дзейных і будучых ідэнтыфікатараў праграмы
А калі распрацоўшчык не пагадзіцца, іх праграма будзе сусветна ціха заблакіравана на кожнай прыладзе Android.
Каму гэта шкодзіць?
Вам
Вы купілі тэлефон на Android, бо Google казаў, што ён адкрыты. Вы павінны устанаўліваць што хаціце і такой была здзелка.
Google цяпер перапісвае яе на зябеспячэнні, што ўжо ў вас ёсць. Пасля прымянення абнаўлення, вы зможаце запускаць праграмы, якія зацвердзіў Google. На вашым тэлефоне: ваша маёмасць, за якую вы заплацілі
Незалежным распрацоўшчыкам
Першая праграма падлетка, інструмент для прыватнасці для актывіста ці унутраная бэта вялікай кампаніі. Гэта не мае значэння. У 2027 годзе, нічога з гэтага не зможа быць усталявана без дазволу Google.
F-Droid, дом для тысяч бясплатных і адкрытых праграм Android ужо назваў гэта "пагрозай выжывання". Коры Дактароў назваў гэта "Darth Android".
Урадам і цывілізаванай супольнасці
Google мае задакументаваныя выпадкі падчынення аўтарытарным рэжымам і выдалення праграм. Такім чынам, праграмы інстытутаў у вашай краіне будуць існаваць па дазволу адной некантралюемай замежнай карпарацыі.
EFF назваў такія меры "сцежкай да пашырэння інтэрнэт-цэнзуры."
Кампраміс Google - гэта пастка
Google кажа, што "вопытныя карыстальнікі" могуць "па-ранейшаму ўсталёўваць" неправераныя праграмы. Вось як гэта будзе выглядаць
- Паглыбіцеся ў налады сістэмы, знайдзіце параметры распрацоўшчыка
- Націсніце нумар зборкі сем разоў, каб уключыць рэжым распрацоўшчыка
- Адхільце палохаючыя экраны аб прымусовасці
- Увядзіце PIN-код
- Перазапусціце прыладу
- Пачакайце 24 гадзіны
- Вярніцеся, адключыце больш экранаў палохання
- Выберыце "дазволіць часова" (7 дзён) або "дазволіць на нявызначаны час"
- Яшчэ раз пацвердзіце, што вы разумееце "рызыкі"
Дзевяць крокаў. Абавязковы 24-гадзінны перыяд астуджэння. Для ўсталявання праграмнага забеспячэння на прыладу, якой вы валодаеце.
Што яшчэ горш: гэты паток цалкам праходзіць праз Сэрвісы Google Play, а не праз АС Android. Google можа змяніць яго, зрабіць больш жорсткім або спыніць яго ў любы час, без неабходнасці абнаўлення АС і згоды...
Гэта больш чым Android
Калі Google можа адным днём заблакіраваць мільярды прылад, што прадаваліся як свабодныя плафтормы, кожны вырабнік прылад возьме прыклад.
Задаецца прынцып: кампанія, якая зрабіла вашу прыладу, вырашае пасля таго, як вы яе набылі, якое праграмнае забеспячэнне вам дазволена запускаць. У праграмным забеспячэнні гэта называецца “выцягванне дывана”; але, па меншай меры, вы заўсёды можаце ўсталяваць канкуруючае праграмнае забеспячэнне. Што датычыцца апаратнага забеспячэння, гэта здзейснены факт, які пазбаўляе вас паўнамоцтваў і робіць вас бяссільнымі перад капрызамі аднаго непадсправаздачнага брамніка і асуджанага манапаліста.
Адкрытасць Android ніколі не была проста функцыяй. Гэта абяцанне, якое адрознівала яго ад iPhone. Мільёны выбралі Android менавіта па гэтай прычыне. Цяпер Google адклікае гэтае абяцанне ў аднабаковым парадку на прыладах, якія ўжо знаходзяцца ў кішэнях людзей, таму што яны вырашылі, што ў іх дастаткова дамінавання на рынку і нарматыўнага захопу, каб сысці з рук.
Ars Technica: *"Зайздросць Google Apple пагражае знічышць адкрытую спадчыну Android."
Пачакайце, а гэта ...
"...проста пра бяспеку?"
Абгрунтаванне бяспекі - дымавая заслона. Google Play Protect ужо шукае шкодныя праграмы незалежна ад асобы распрацоўшчыка. Патрабаванне дзяржаўнага пасведчання асобы не робіць код больш бяспечным. Гэта робіць распрацоўшчыкаў ідэнтыфікаванымі і кантраляванымі. Аўтары шкоднасных праграм могуць зарэгістравацца. Незалежныя распрацоўшчыкі і дысідэнты часта не могуць. EFF кажа: абмежаванне на аснове ідэнтыфікацыйных дадзеных з'яўляецца інструментам цэнзуры, а не інструментам бяспекі.
"...усё яшчэ загрузка пабочных праграм у экспертным рэжыме, хіба не?"
Дзевяць крокаў, 24-гадзіннае чаканне, схаваныя ў Параметрах распрацоўшчыка, дастаўленыя праз прапрыетарны сэрвіс, які Google можа адклікаць, калі захоча. Гэта не загрузка пабочных праграм. Гэта механізм стрымлівання, створаны для таго, каб амаль ніхто яго не завяршыў. І паколькі ён працуе праз Play Services, а не праз АС, Google можа зрабіць яго ціхім або забіць.
"...праблема для тых, хто нічога не хавае?"
Першымі ахвярамі стануць інфарматары, журналісты і актывісты пры аўтарытарных урадах. На наступным месцы людзі, якія трапілі ў сямейны гвалт. Усе гэтыя групы маюць законныя падставы распаўсюджваць або выкарыстоўваць праграмнае забеспячэнне без размяшчэння сваёй юрыдычнай асобы ў базе дадзеных Google. Ананімны ўклад з адкрытым зыходным кодам - гэта традыцыя, старэйшая за сам Google. Гэта палітыка спыняе гэта на Android.
"...не тое ж самае, што робіць Apple?"
Apple з першага дня была агароджаным садам. Людзі выбіралі Android, таму што ён быў іншым. “Apple таксама робіць гэта” - гэта гонка на дно і слабы аргумент tu quoque. І пад нарматыўным ціскам (Закон ЕС аб лічбавых рынках) нават Apple вымушана адкрыцца. Google рухаецца ў адваротным кірунку: спрабуе яшчэ больш умацаваць свой статус гейткіпера.
"...проста $25 і крыху працы з паперамі?"
Магчыма, калі вы распрацоўшчык у ЗША з крэдытнай карткай і вадзіцельскімі правамі. Паспрабуйце быць студэнтам у Афрыцы на поўдзень ад Сахары, або дысідэнтам у М'янме, або добраахвотнікам, які падтрымлівае праграму для аховы здароўя супольнасці. Кошт не толькі фінансавы: вы перадаеце дзяржаўнае пасведчанне асобы і доказы вашых ключоў подпісу кампаніі, якая рэгулярна выконвае патрабаванні ўрада выдаляць праграмы і раскрываць распрацоўшчыкаў.
Змагайцеся ў адказ
Усе
- Пачынайце карыстацца F-Droid на кожнай вашай Android прыладзе. Альтэрнатыўныя крамы выжывуць ,калі імі карыстацца.
- Звяжыцеся з мясцовымі рэгулятарамі. Рэгулятары па ўсяму свету хвалюцца з-за манаполій і цэнтралізацыі ўлады у руках тэхнічных кампаній і хацяць пачуць індывідуальныя выпадкі ад тых, каго гэта датычыцца.
- Падзяляйцеся гэтай старонкай. Пакідайце спасылку на keepandroidopen.org усюды.
- Змагайцеся з астратурфінгам. Выразы "Ну вось, ведаеце..." выдзяляюцца з патоку. Не дайце ім задаць наратыў.
- Падпішыце петыцыю на change.org and join the over 100,000 signatories who ...
- Чытайце і пашрайце наш адкрыты ліст
- Кажыце Google, што вы думаеце пра гэта з дапамогай іх Android developer verification requirements survey (хаця б штосьці карыснае).
Распрацоўчшыкі
Не рэгістрыруйцеся. Не далучайцеся да праграмы, прахадзя рэгістрацыю у Android Developer Console, пагаждаючыся на Умовы і Пагадненні. Не пацвярджайце сваю асобу. Не гуляйце ў іх гульню.
План Google спрацуе, калі распрацоўшчыкі пагадзяцца. Не рабіце гэтага.
- Кажыце іншым распрацоўшчыкам і арганізўацыям не рэгістрыравацца.
- Дадайце бібліятэку FreeDroidWarn у вашу праграму, каб папярэджваць карыстальнікаў.
- У вас ёсць сайт? Дадайце банер з таймерам.
Працаўнікі Google
If you know something about the program's technical implementation or internal rationale, contact tips@keepandroidopen.org from a non-work m...
Усе яны супраць…
71 арганізацый з 23 краін ужо падпісалі адкрыты ліст
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Techlore techlore.tech
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
April april.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
Brave brave.com
F-Droid f-droid.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
iodé iode.tech
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Proton AG proton.me
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
FUTO futo.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com Вось што кажуць
Тэхнічныя выданні
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"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 Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"'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
Рэдактарскія і аналітыкі
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"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
"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
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"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
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Google's attempts to make Android 'more secure' are, in fact, increasing the risk for Android users. The more friction you introduce in the name of security, the more likely users will attempt to bypass security completely."
Ken Buckler, Enterprise Management Associates
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"This is not about protecting users. This is about control. This is about Google cutting out the last remaining artery of independence in Android."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google's 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
"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
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"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
"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
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"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
"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
"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
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"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
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"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 $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 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
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Once there is no such thing as 'sideloading', there's virtually no difference between iOS and Android. I see no reason to buy Android over iOS at this point."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
Арганізацыі і адкрытыя лісты
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"Google's developer verification policy creates a centralized database, controlled by a single corporation, containing the real-world identity of every person who writes software for Android."
Brave
"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
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"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
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"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
"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 unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"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
"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
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"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
"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
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"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
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"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
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"Developers who choose not to use Google's services should not be forced to register with, and submit to the judgement of, Google."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Google's abusive approach to the Android operating system has only gotten worse in recent years. Software freedom is sorely lacking in the 'computers in our pockets' we call cell phones."
Free Software Foundation
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"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
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"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
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
Ютуберы і стваральнікі кантэнту
"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
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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
"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"This 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
"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
"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
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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 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
"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
"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 decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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
"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
"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 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 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
Распрацоўшчыкі і супольнасці
"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
"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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."
specproc, Hacker News
"If your country is ever in the crosshairs of 'American interests' and bears the brunt of its sanctions, it is possible that you cannot install apps from your fellow citizens. Your own local government, bank, and store apps."
devsda, Hacker News
"Making it harder makes it harder to treat ourselves. Software like AndroidAPS is unique. It's hard to find or very expensive and inferior in the proprietary market."
pimeys (diabetic user on life-critical medical software), Lobsters
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"I buy a device with my own money, which I supposedly then own, but then I need to ask some corporation permission to use it."
askonomm, Hacker News
"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
"The fundamental problem is that we are relying on the good graces of Google to keep Android open, despite the fact that it often runs contrary to their goals as a $4T for-profit behemoth. The 'don't be evil' days are very far behind us."
paxys, Hacker News
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, 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
"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
"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 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
"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
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Whatever Google is doing kind of scares me. We have a big DIY community of diabetics in Germany running tools like AndroidAPS that cannot ever be distributed through official channels."
pimeys (Type 1 diabetic, DIY medical software), Lobsters
"I 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
"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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), 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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"I hate this so much. More and more I get the feeling I have no control over the devices I own. My fear is that Windows will eventually follow. For security reasons of course. It's the path we're on now."
cheesyvoetjes, Reddit
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
Галасы з петыцыі
"Android giving users choice has been the staple point of android OS. Removing choices like sideloading apps is not the move. I develop apps for myself, I do not want to be "an approved developer" I don't have time nor care for that. This action also is the beginning of censorship, and monopolization of android OS. Android started as an open operating system, you have simply turned it into a reskinned Apple OS. Your choice to go anti-consumer is going to hurt. You are not "protecting" anyone. ~Seth "
Nathan, change.org
"Android's strength has always been its openness. Closing or limiting this system violates users' trust in the principles that led them (or rather, us) to choose Android as their (our) OS. That's why we urge you to keep Android open and not implement any developer or app registration system. Build bridges and educate your users to venture beyond them, rather than erect walls trying to isolate them. "
Edoardo, change.org
"Privacy is a human right (just like the man who developed Telegram). It's a necessity too. Android is the ultimate choice because if I recall, 85% of all mobile phone sales worldwide are Android. The ability to customize at will much like a person buying a Nissan Skyline GT-R 34 has as much right as they want to modify their vehicle to their specific needs like more HP! 2000 HP sounds sexy! The same can be said about people with Android phones. Sure, not all people are into customizing but if you buy, it's yours. No excuses from greedy corporate stooges. I love the beauty of side loading 3rd party apps because of the Freedom that it comes with. Android is the choice for hackers too! Linux based kernel under the hood. If Google released the Android platform, imagine how better it would be. It's like George Hotz (who hacked the 1st iPhone) once said "Open source is the best source! Everyone profits from it". " The people should not be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of their own people " - V from V for Vendetta. I don't remember who said "Give me liberty or give me death!". Developers should band together and be steadfast for there is strength in numbers. Even those who aren't developers! "
Juan, change.org
"Android is the Beacon of Freedom and Open market for many developers to create, test and use their software. Requiring Licensing and restricting this Freedom goes against the very Core of what Android stands for and was built for. It is UNACCEPTABLE for users not to be able to download whatever they want, regardless of Licensing or Approval. If Google closes this door, it will Forever Damage Android and Many users and developers like Myself will leave. There is no longer any reason to remain on Android if this happens. MY hope is that there is enough Sanity left to keep this door Open and fight to protect the Freedom of Android. Those who would give up their Freedom for Security, deserve Neither "
James, change.org
"What made Android unique was that you could download and side-load apps. It's what made Android different from iOS, and it's why I preferred Android. This isn't "protecting" anyone, and Google is almost always on the side of profit over consumers. "
Tyler, change.org
"This is another blasphemous attempt from Google to assert itself as a complete monopoly and their reasoning to protect users is just a mask for generating massive revenue. Being "open" coupled with the "freedom of choice" are the underlying factors for why Android dominates the market share. Crushing both these fundamental reasons to be a dictator is pure insanity. Developers shouldn't comply and users should stop buying Google infected Android devices. Thankfully, there's other options so no need to convert to iPhone. "
James, change.org
"Someone alert the attorney's on the ongoing case with Epic Games that Google found a way to try and skirt court orders. I'm sure the judge will be extremely pleased to have been ignored, as they make this change and claim it's somehow not the opposite of what they were told to do. "
Nicholas, change.org
"Ive used exclusively Android for years because of the freedom it gives its users. Such a wonderful community of developers and users that I know everyone would mourn if it went away. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! "
Alora, change.org
"Literally the only reason I swapped to android years ago was because it had freedoms that iPhones didn't. I may as well swap back if this is how things are going. "
Robert, change.org
"Freedom to download and install whatever you want is one of the main reasons people choose AndroidOS over apple products. With how Apple has made steps towards more sustainable hardware, it is getting less and less justifiable to continue using google products. "
Antonio, change.org
"First they monopolize the internet, then they banned adblocks, and now they are coming after one of the last truly open platforms people still have. This is not just about Android, it is about the direction the entire digital world is heading. If we do not push back now, there may soon be no open platforms left. "
Maxim, change.org
"Android started as the Anti-Apple and the ubiquity of manufacturers, form functions, ROMs, and open source app development has made it what it is today: the worlds most used operating system powering nearly 70% of phones and 1/3 of all devices, even surpassing Windows. App verification and sideloading through ADB only will hamper development and greater adoption moving forward. If forced into a walled garden, why not just use iOS? "
Nicholas, change.org
"It's been sad to see the steady decline the OS has experienced with increasingly restrictive updates implemented by Google. But this is the final straw. This update effectively forces all users to only install apps through the play store AND can shut down FOSS Android forks like Lineage, GrapheneOS, etc. So many people (including myself) rely on the amazing work the FOSS community does in the Android space. This update will force you to install the apps Google wants you to install, stop receiving OS updates when Google says so, require all Android developers to hand over their ID to Google, etc. Given Google's track record, I wouldn't trust them with all of that. :) "
Kawika, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom. I've always loved side loading an app made by a line developer to complete a niche task/feature. My music player and compass app were side loaded from F Droid and I think it's super cool to be able to install custom versions of stock phone apps. I've side loaded a modded version of my camera app that brought Google Pixel's photosphere to my phone. How else would I have been able to do this without side loading?? There's no reason Android has to go this direction, it may just as well be called mock iOS if all the reasons I chose Android are taken away. May customization, freedom of how I use my phone, and innovation reign once again in the heart of Google's Android! PLEASE 🙏 "
YAIR RAFAEL, change.org
"This change would defeat the core purpose at the heart of what the Android platform is. Remember when Google used to use the slogan "Don't be Evil"? Well this is about as evil as it gets. "
Justin, change.org
"The last thing differentiating Android from iOS was the freedom to be different, to be a power user, to truly own the very device you hold in your hand. Taking that away not only strips Android of its identity, it makes it just like iOS: locked down, useless, and incapable of serving the user. If you want to protect people, teach them how to protect themselves, don't be a helicopter parent to someone else's child. "
Evan, change.org
"Sounds good on paper but will only make things way, way worse. They say the main reason they're doing this is for security since you're reportedly more likely to get a virus outside of Google Play than inside, but honestly, that'll only happen if you're irresponsible enough (you're even warned that it's at your own risk and responsibility if you decide to download something outside of GP). Again, sounds good on paper, problem is, by doing this, you'll be unable to download lots of other, virus-free software that are good or can be useful (e.g. gaming emulators or delisted apps), all because it doesn't come from an "approved developer", which would be a huge pain in the ass for millions of people, including me. In my opinion, L update. "
Mario, change.org
"Android is not iOS, is monopoly becoming Android to iOS "
RallenPR, change.org
"You have to ask yourself. What is google's motivation and it's simple power ingredient "
D., change.org
"This is an outrageous monopolizing effort that not only chokes out competition and a healthy ecosystem for application development, it also is hugely concerning from a security perspective. One entire company should NOT have control over everything. Google has grown far too large, and history has taught us that large corporations are obscenely corrupt and controlling of people's safety, freedom, and wellbeing. This cannot go unchecked. "
Sarah, change.org
"I care about digital freedom because the digital world should have the same freedoms as the real world. "
Anabel, change.org
"I've always chosen to use Android because I want to have control of how I use my phone. I know installing something might cause problems, but after all it's my decision and my phone too! If I wanted to be "more safe" I'd buy a phone with iOS. Let the users decide how they want to use their phones at their own risk. "
Nicky, change.org
"I resent Google trying to invade, record and control more and more of my life. My enthusiasm for tech has really fallen off a cliff over the past 10 years and it just continues to fall. I've continued to move more of my activities to a self-hosted environment to preserve my sanity, information and preferences as mainstream services continue to change for the worse. "
Leah, change.org
"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
"As a regular user and consumer, I am frightened by this direction. Android has historically differentiated itself by being an open platform that users can customize to their liking - this is THE main reason I continue to purchase Android phones. I am a developer as a hobby, and will occasionally create my own apps to support my unique projects and requirements. I have no interest in becoming an authorized developer - that wouldn't make sense for me. In addition, I benefit STRONGLY from the community of existing open-source apps. I am an avid F-Droid user, and find the apps there to be of equal or better quality than those in the Play Store. If Android is to become as locked-down as iOS, then my next phone purchase will be from Apple to benefit from their increased privacy protections. The main differentiator drawing me.to Android will be gone. "
Patrick, change.org
"The promise was to have an open OS: a walled garden has always been seen as something negative where the supposed pros do NOT outweigh the cons, among them far too much power in the hands of one, central entity. And every time a stunt like this is attempted, it demonstrates how that simply shouldn't be allowed to ANYone. My phone is mine. Let me install whatever I like on it. "
Daniele, change.org
"The whole reason Android is popular is because it's open source. This undermines both user freedom and the open spirit that originally defined Android. Making this change under the guise of security amounts to manipulation, lying, deceiving your customers, and taking away their rights to use their device in their way. By doing this you are killing what make android great, the fact that everyone can make an app and load it on his phone. Google should not be able to say what apps we can and can’t download on a device we purchased. This change would remove the main reason I even purchase these phones, stop it google. As a developer I want to be able to use and test my own apps. Having a monopoly over the eccosystem is going to hurt developers and create move forced overreaching and breaching of constitutional rights. You are not protecting anyone from forcing them to use the googleplaystore, in fact all the spyware and malware I ever came in contact with was from Google Play itself. Calling it "sideloading" is just villianizing what a normal download is, removing basic freedoms to use my device as I so choose is a far overreaching tactic that shouldn't be even an option let alone seriously implimented. If this does happen, I won't be using andriod, And will also stop using any other google services. I can't support a company that is anti-consumer. Dealing with the amount of bloat and spyware that comes preinstalled on these phones is bad enough, pushing user to have to deal with these orwellian nightmares is completely unethical. Where did your company statement of" don't be evil" go? "
Kaleb, change.org
"Enough freedoms have been taken away, so leave the tech ALONE!!! "
John, change.org
"This is bad for the consumer "
Swargin, change.org
"The whole reason I love android is due to openness and freedom, Google taking this away makes me mad because that's a staple point for Android gone. As a regular user, I use the F-Droid store, as well as finding apps directly on GitHub. "
Micheal, change.org
"It really seems like part of a conspiracy to turn the entire digital world into a tool for psychological and mass control. Let's raise our voices together against this immense idiocy, most likely promoted primarily by governments and not directly by Google. 👁️📐👌⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤️ "
Alessio, change.org
"Big G is destroying Android and controlling the narrative. They want to determine everything you see, think, and can communicate. This is completely against the core freedoms that are constantly under attack. Keeping them from this destructive activity is the only thing that can keep millions of people - at least - alive around the world. Being able to load apps from where ever I want allows myself to even function and communicate. "
Jeremie, change.org
"The continual tightening of the corporate hand around the throat of Android is pivotal to oppose. Android and other Linux-based operating systems are currently and will continue to be the front lines of the eternal battle for user freedom, privacy, and safety worldwide. "
Aaron, change.org
"Google, allow us to actually own our devices! "
cornelius, change.org
"I know this sounds crazy, but I just want to be able to use the device I paid for the way that I want to. "
Thomas, change.org
"Freedom is fundamental. "
S, change.org
"Ces é paia mano "
Solalalule, change.org
"The main reason I've always preferred android over apple is the freedom of app development and usage. What's the point of using an android phone when I have to rely on an app store that limits what's available? This decision is gonna affect an already undesirable Google "
Mychal, change.org
"As a android user and a newbie developer, android OS is famous by the its freedom. Because we can modify our android operating system by our ways,and decided which software I wanted which I needn't. This freedom is the biggest difference between android and IOS and other fake android, which is full of junk ads and virus-like game. However, if we lost freedom on android operating system, the open-source software developer will lose motivation from this platform. That is a horrorible things to the android and the people who beloved with it. "
su, change.org
"make android good again "
Samuel, change.org
"From a U.S. point of view it leaves us with only 2 wall gardens (Apple iOS and Google Android) as choices for smartphone operating systems with no other serious competition. I do not think this is a good thing for consumers. "
Mark, change.org
"This is a blatantly security washing a monopoly move to undermine the open internet and free access that grew Google to what it is today. If Google wants to be Apple it should produce Apple level products and services without being a leach. "
E, change.org
"I have been an Android user since smartphones became mainstream, and the primary reason I chose Android was the freedom it offers. Unlike other platforms, Android allows users to install applications from outside official stores, enabling innovation, experimentation, and personal control over our own devices. Over the years, I have used open-source applications from platforms like GitHub and F-Droid, many created by independent developers who may not have the resources—or the desire—to publish through centralized stores. In some cases, I have even modified open-source code to suit my personal needs and compiled my own versions of apps. This is not just a niche use case—it represents the very spirit of open computing. Requiring developers to submit personal identification and restricting distribution channels will disproportionately impact: Independent and open-source developers Users in region-restricted environments Applications that are no longer available on official stores This change does not just improve security—it introduces control over who is allowed to distribute software, fundamentally shifting Android away from being an open platform. If users are no longer free to install applications of their choice, Android devices risk becoming restricted ecosystems similar to closed platforms—where functionality is determined not by the user, but by a central authority. The ability to sideload apps is not a loophole—it is a defining feature of Android. Removing or weakening it undermines user autonomy, developer freedom, and the very reason many of us chose this platform in the first place. "
Eranga, change.org
"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
"I use Android because it's free than OS so what will be the difference between iOS and Android if it's not for "site loading".i am simply user not a developer I like to be able to take a software and install it with my device.Don't be evil but that's not true anymore but remember for where you coming from if you forget this your roots you have no future. "
Krasimir, change.org
"I've ALWAYS been an Android user and I've always been proud of it because of his openness, his liberty and many possibilities. That's Android. I don't want to see him fall and become an IOS version 2. It would be his death. I've never been interested by Apple, getting an Iphone never crossed my mind. If Android changes, I will have to think about seriously. "
Killian, change.org
"First step to digital Gulag "
Sergio, change.org
"android open source project (AOSP) open source! the google its destroying "open source spirit" "
enzo, change.org
"The iOS user experience is invariably more polished and seamless than any Android device. In the tablet market especially, Android can't hold a candle to iOS when it comes to usable. For the entirety of Android's existence, the freedom to use our devices the way we want, rather than being beholden to the whims of a manufacturer, has been THE reason to use Android. Not a reason, not the most important or compelling reason, THE ONE AND ONLY REASON. To remove or hamper the ability to sideload apps is to remove Android's only reason to exist. Remember, no matter how many of our rights and abilities you remove with regard to how customers use their devices, there's one right you cannot touch: our right to purchase an objectively easier to use iOS device. "
Pranam, change.org
"The openness of the Android is its unique selling point. Keep Android open to keep Android Android. "
John, 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
"Literally one of the only things Android has going for it compared to iOS. You want this gone, fine -- then what advantage do you possibly imagine Android would have over iPhones? Do you really think people are going to continue to buy crap Pixels with Tensor chips at the same price as an iPhone? Android has ALWAYS been about uplifting device ownership. You get rid of APK side loading, you kill the damn OS once and for all. "
Jeremy, change.org
"If wee do not stop this then our computers are next. We will end up the same as other countries who put out the same message to their people to condition them. Our freedom of speech and the right to privacy under the privacy act will be taken away. You do not want this!!! "
Keith, change.org
"This would severely limit any reason I have to use a google certified android phone. Without the ability to easily support open source developers and tinker with my own projects -- the android phone would cease to be my "daily driver". These are our computers, and we should be able to install what we want on them. It's disrespectful to take that right away. Please reconsider removing your hardware's greatest and most consumer friendly strength in the mobile market. "
Kedryn, change.org
"Don't tread on us Google! "
Trevor, change.org
"Android, please do not become like Apple os, doing that, you are changing the best thing you have, thats the user having Freedom to do whatever they want "
Pedro, change.org
"Well google showed their true colours. Time to start migrating all my accounts away from them. What a joke. "
Jordan, change.org
"Once i switched to f-droid & duckduckgo google could destroy my android experianced the way it's suposed to be, keep our galaxies's free and simple. "
Kelab, change.org
"Google, go rethink your choices! what is wrong with companies nowadays?!?! "
am, change.org
"I have payed and continue to pay for an android device. The right to upload whatever app I please on my own device should be maintained. By extension, developers shouldn't have to give money, personal identifying information, and private sign in keys to google. Nor should developers be subjected to google's constant scrutinized spying and biases through : - Being forced to agree to google's terms and conditions. - Alongside extorting app identifiers for the entirety of an app's life span. Taking away and inhibiting both the ability to do what I want with my own device and the ability of developers to share their creations with others is wrong. What google is proposing is anti-consumer and against the values of freedom. "
Alexandria, change.org
"Open source exploration is too important to add any additional barriers to entrance. I expect it's bad for all of us, including alphabet and Google, the aosp... a new open model may rise from a push such as this. Really though, don't be evil, please "
Eric, change.org
"Please, allow for users to make exceptions or some other control, keep Android flexible. "
Boris, change.org
"first off i bought this phone i should have the right to put what ever program i want on it, I'm already upset so many things are locked behind root access my wife is a programmer and she fiddles with android programs. this would mean she can't do this anymore. it makes it a lot harder for indie android programmers to get started "
Joshua, change.org
"Google should stop killing Android "
Rafael, change.org
"Side loading is my main reason to use Android. It's the only way I can watch YouTube on the Kindle "
Max, change.org
"If Android is closed off & no longer my phone as was the promise of Android, it will be the last Android anything I will purchase.. "
Michael, change.org
"This is a spit in the face of open-source and Android's userbase. "
Mark, 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
"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 is the most popular open phone OS currently. Google is going back on their promise of an open ecosystem in favor of one where they have control and government entities can pressure them to give up our information to them. "
Andrew, change.org
"Apoio à liberdade "
Kayo Junior, change.org
"It is a fundamental right for everyone to be able to install whatever they want from wherever they want on any computer of theirs. "
Jim, change.org
"We can't back down "
Victor Vitienzo, change.org
"I like android. I don't want it to be like ios 🤮 "
Luke, change.org
"I've always installed software from whatever source I chose. I don't think locking things down on Android any more than they already are helps anyone. It just adds fuel to suspicions we already have about Google vision due the Android ecosystem. "
Jason, change.org
"As a regular user and a small developer, I find this measure deeply concerning. When I choose to buy an Android phone, it is with the expectation of having control over how I use it, not to face restrictions or censorship. Tools like Knox and Play Integrity are already frustrating enough, and now it seems that even downloading applications from F-Droid or other nice Stores should be checked ?! This undermines both user freedom and the open spirit that originally defined Android. We have ( well we have to take it back) the right to create, modify, and use apps—and to communicate online—without being forced to give up anonymity. It is up to users to educate themselves about potential risks, not for GAFAM to decide on our behalf. "
naknak, change.org
"Google always voiced themselves as the "Open Platform" in direct competition with Apple. With the lockdown happening, there is no more competition. It's either "isolated OS" or "fellow isolated OS". In today's day and age, especially, the people value and are drawn to the ability to make their own choices without the difficulties and frustrations of being restricted and banned from doing something. It's *why* so many people switched to Android/ Google devices, and *why* so many Android/Google users *refuse* to use Apple products. The lockdown is just creating another Apple under a different company. "
Amelia, change.org
"This is a threat to everyone's first amendment rights. Google's tech oligarchy is trting gatekeep creativity for their own greed. This should concern everyone, not just F-Droid developers and users! They won't just stop at F-Droid, their goal is total control! "
AJ, change.org
"Keeping android open would be doing the right thing, if that is still the motto google believes in among hopefully not doing evil. I would hate to see the platform that prided itself on being open and lending itself to it's community of users and manufacturers, betray the very reason it built up the strong and varied ecosystem it is today. I would like strongly urge those in power of this decision to reconsider, not as a threat, but to see the something great, remain great. "
Kyle, change.org
"This is ridiculous the fact that google is causing this will effect everybody it's gonna make it way harder for developers to post there apps to specific users. "
Daisuke, change.org
"Asking an ID for everything is not different from China's ID Citizen Score This is clearly made with the intention to manipulate what people do and learn about "
Verónica, change.org
"Locking Android down is an evil decision and completely goes against the original design intention. If this happens, I will no longer use ANY google products and services and publicly boycott. "
Chris, change.org
"This feels like bait and switch. Android has been the open alternative to iOS and that's a primary reason why I've chosen to support Android over the years. We don't have a viable truly free alternative like on the desktop, but Android is the best we've got. "
Sol, change.org
"Why would anyone use an Android period outside of being able to install applications not “approved” by some walled-garden. Side loading is a dumb term "
Stephen, change.org
"Android is meant to be Open Source This essentially means people should be able to change their version in any way they want Yes, security is important, but to take away the freedom of what should be open-source and freely modifiable is going to harm android People will look to other OS, such as Sailfish, Ubuntu touch and others "
Jaka, change.org
"Perhaps Google shares the same ideals as that damned communist country of China; they want to take away our freedom. "
Henrique Kelvin Alves da, change.org
"Because Google shouldn't force control on its users "
Jaden, change.org
"I strongly oppose this change. Google should HIGHLY reconsider this idea. It's SPECIFICALLY this freedom that makes me go with android to begin with. This freedom of choice is what separates them from Apple. If this change goes into effect you will see many users either switch to Apple, or find any possible alternatives that support these options. "
Zachary, change.org
"Its important to have side stores that protect privacy and not let everything enshitify. "
Augusto, change.org
"Android is an open-source system; this restriction will make Android a closed system. I will switch to iPhone if this update is implemented. "
Miguel, change.org
"Google, this accomplish two things: 1/ This will limit privacy respecting apps to those of us who run degoogled OSs. 2/ More people will flash degoogled OSs onto their phones. Do you really want less data coming in to monetize? Your call. "
Scott, change.org
"The whole reason I have used Android over iOS is because of the increased freedom to control the device I OWN. My phone is mine and I should be able to use it as I see fit. Companies like Google need to be forced to stop this anti comsumer behavior. "
Mark, change.org
"I support Signature verification for security, but centralised verification is harmful for open Android ecosystem. "
Wenyi, change.org
"Bora solar esses miserentos "
GATO, 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
"Ive used both IPhone and Android, and the biggest reason I stayed with android is the ability to download any app I want. While Google is allowing legit malware and scam apps onto their platform, they are attacking indie developers who are just making useful apps. This is completely against user freedom and is essentially going to just send a lot of us Apple, what is the point? This needs to stop! "
Gina, change.org
"I have been an Android evangelist since its very earliest days, driving its adoption by multiple organisations (as well as some very sceptical elderly family members). My admiration for Android has always been founded on the philosophy of open access to customise your device as you see fit. The walled Apple garden is the antithesis of this philosophy, and Google's announcement of a further step to build a similar wall around Android sickens me. Manufacturers - take heed! Google is alienating its most important customer demographic; people who believe, rather reasonably, that their phone belongs to them to do with as they wish. Consider alternatives. "
Dan, change.org
"As an android guru who runs a blog on getting the best out of android who often recommends and personally use many side loaded apps since a lot of the best apps are on places like f droid and sinilar places but not on google. Ultimately its sad to see android and apple be these walled gardens "
L, change.org
"https://c.org/ztGgdyG2f4 "
Rosita, change.org
"As a regular user of Android, I've always loved the freedom that Android gave me when it came to downloading apps and APKs. I've never had an issue with Android up until now. This policy is going to be restricting and a violation of the digital rights of both consumers and the creators. This does not protect anybody in the equation, and if this policy goes through then I will not use Android services anymore. Google, please hear our voices and do not go through with this. You will lose many supporters if you do. "
Simon, change.org