Предстои телефонът ви да спре да бъде ваш.
През 2027* г. Google, без да иска съгласието на потребителите, публикува тихомълком актуализация, която ще блокира всяко приложение за Android на разработчици, които не са регистрирани в Google и не са подписали съответните договори, не са платили съответните суми и не са предоставили личен документ.
Всяко приложение и всяко устройство по целия свят и без опция за отказ.
↓Какво прави Google
През август 2025 г. Google обяви ново изискване: от 2027 г. всеки разработчик на приложения за Android трябва да бъде централно регистриран в Google, за да може софтуерът му да се инсталира на което и да е устройство. Не става въпрос само за приложения от Google Play Магазин, а за всички приложения. В това число влизат приложения, изпратени от приятели, разпространени през F-Droid, създадени от хоби разработчици за лична употреба. Всички независими разработчици, обществени и църковни групи и любители ще изгубят възможността да разработват и разпространяват софтуера си.
За регистрация е необходимо следното:
- Да се плати такса на Google
- Да се приемат Общите условия на Google
- Да се предоставят собствени официални лични документи
- Да се предостави доказателство за вашия частен ключ за разработчик
- Да се посочат всички текущи и бъдещи идентификатори на приложения
Ако разработчикът не се съгласи, приложенията му ще бъдат блокирани без известие на всяко устройство с Android навсякъде по света.
Кой страда от това
Вие
Когато сте си купили телефон с Android, сте очаквали да имате отворена система, в която можете да инсталирате каквото поискате. Това беше обещанието на Google.
Сега Google променя сделката със задна дата и то за устройства, които вече притежавате. След минаването на актуализацията ще можете да използвате само софтуер, който е предварително одобрен от Google. На вашия телефон, който вие притежавате и за който вие сте платили.
Независими разработчици
Няма значение дали ще става въпрос първото приложение на тийнейджър, инструмент за запазване на поверителността на доброволец, или за поверителна вътрешна бета версия на компания. През 2027 г. нищо от това няма да може да се инсталира без благословията на Google.
Според F-Droid, където се намират хиляди безплатни приложения за Android с отворен код, това е „екзистенциална заплаха“. Cory Doctorow го нарича „Darth Android“.
Правителствата и гражданските общества
Google има документирани случаи, в които е изпълнявал исканията на авторитарни режими, когато става въпрос за премахването на приложения. Когато тази програма влезе в сила, софтуерът, който се използва от институциите във вашата държава, ще бъде зависим от решенията на една чуждестранна корпорация, която не подлежи на законовите изисквания на държавата ви.
Фондация „Електронна граница“ (EFF) нарича тази форма на ограничаване на приложенията „непрестанно разширяващ се път към цензурата в интернет“."
„Резервният вариант“ на Google е всъщност капан
Google твърди, че „power users“ (напреднали потребители) „могат да продължат да инсталират“ непроверени приложения. Ето как всъщност изглежда това:
- Ровите се в системните настройки, намирате опциите за разработчици
- Докосвате номера на компилацията седем пъти, за да активирате режима за разработчици
- Потвърждавате, че действате по собствено желание
- Въвеждате PIN кода си
- Рестартирате устройството
- Изчаквате 24 часа
- Връщате се и минавате още няколко изскачащи прозореца
- Избирате „Разрешаване временно“ (7 дни) или „Разрешаване за постоянно“
- Отново потвърждавате, че сте наясно с „рисковете“
Девет стъпки и задължителен 24-часов период на изчакване. За да инсталирате софтуер на устройство, което притежавате.
По-лошото: Този процес се извършва изцяло през Google Play Services, не през операционната система Android. Google може да го промени, да го ограничи или да го спре, когато пожелае, като за целта не е нужна актуализация на операционната система. И до днешна дата все още не присъства в beta версиите на Android, както и в каналите за разработчици или canary. Съществува само като публикация в блог и някои примерни модели.
Това е по-голямо от Android
Ако Google има способността със задна дата да заключи милиарди устройства, които са били продадени като отворени платформи, това ще ангажира вниманието на всеки голям производител по света.
Така се установява нов принцип: компанията, която е произвела устройството ви, има силата след като сте го купили да вземе решение какъв софтуер можете да използвате на него. В света на софтуера това се нарича „rug pull“ (неочаквана тотална промяна на правилата), но поне винаги съществуваше възможността да инсталирате конкурентен софтуер. В света на хардуера това обаче ви изправя пред свършен факт, след който нямате ходове и не можете да противодействате на хрумванията на един доказан монополист, който не допуска свободен достъп и не може да бъде подведен под отговорност.
Отвореният характер на Android никога не е бил просто особеност. Той беше обещанието, което го разграничаваше от iPhone и милиони потребители избираха Android точно поради тази причина. С действията си Google сега нарушава едностранно това обещание на устройства, които вече са в джобовете на потребителите, защото са решили, че имат достатъчно доминираща позиция на пазара и влияние върху регулаторите, за да го направят без последствия.
Ars Technica: „Завистта на Google към Apple заплашва да унищожи наследството на Android като отворена операционна система.“
Добре, но това не е ли...
„...само за нашата сигурност?“
Обяснението за сигурността е само пясък в очите. Google Play Protect вече извършва сканиране за злонамерен софтуер без значение от идентичността на разработчика. Изискването на официален документ за самоличност няма да направи кода по-безопасен, но за сметка на това прави разработчиците по-лесни за идентифициране и контрол. Създателите на злонамерен софтуер могат да се регистрират. Инди разработчиците и дисидентите често нямат тази възможност. Фондацията „Електронна граница“ *(EFF) има недвусмислена позиция: системата за идентификация е инструмент за цензура, а не за сигурност.
„...същото като инсталиране на външни приложения, просто със следване на разширената процедура?“
Девет стъпки, 24-часов период на изчакване, ровене в настройки за разработчици и всичко това през собствена услуга, която Google може да анулира по всяко време. Това не е същото като инсталиране на външни приложения, а е възпиращ механизъм, който е така разработен, че да гарантира, че почти никой няма да го ползва. И понеже работи през Play Services, а не в рамките на операционната система, Google винаги може тихомълком да го ограничи или спре.
„...проблем само ако имаш какво да криеш?“
Информаторите, журналистите и активистите срещу авторитарно управление ще бъдат първите жертви на тази промяна. Ще ги последват хората, които са жертви на домашно насилие. Всички тези групи имат основателни причини да разпространяват или използват софтуер, без да въвеждат данните за идентичността си в база данни на Google. Приносът от анонимни потребители към отворен код е традиция, по-стара от самия Google. Тази политика ще убие всичко това на Android.
„...същото, което и Apple прави?“
Apple е затворена система от самото начало. Android беше избиран от потребителите, защото беше различен. „Apple прави същото“ е напълно безпредметен слаб аргумент, който само отнема вината от правилното място. А благодарение на натиска от регулаторите (Закона за дигиталните пазари на ЕС) дори Apple е принуден да работи по-отворено. За сметка на това Google се е насочил в обратната посока с опити да затвърди контрола си върху достъпа.
„...просто 25 долара и малко документи?“
Може би не е нещо особено за разработчик в САЩ, който има кредитна карта и собствен автомобил. Съвсем различно е обаче за един студент в Африка, или за дисидент в Мианмар, или за доброволец, който се грижи за здравно приложение за общността си. Цената не се измерва само във финансова величина. Давате данните от официалния си документ за самоличност и предоставяте доказателства за частния си ключ на компания, която редовно изпълнява исканията на различни правителства за премахване на приложения и разкриване на информация за разработчиците им.
Как да се противопоставим
За всички
- Инсталирайте F-Droid на всяко устройство с Android, което притежавате. Алтернативните магазини за приложения ще оцелеят само ако има хора, които ги използват.
- Свържете се със своите представители в регулаторните комисии. Регулаторите по света са наистина загрижени за ефекта от монопола и централизирането на властта в технологичния сектор. Те приветстват обратна връзка от хора, които са потърпевши и имат свои притеснения.
- Споделяйте тази страница. Изпращайте навсякъде връзката към keepandroidopen.org.
- Борете се с опитите за манипулиране на общественото мнение. Все по-често се срещат мнения от рода на „От гледна точка на Google...“. Не им позволявайте да изменят фокуса.
- Подпишете петицията в change.org и станете част от другите 100 000 подписали.
- Прочетете и споделяйте нашето отворено писмо.
- Кажете на Google какво мислите за това, като използвате тяхната анкета за изискванията за проверка на разработчиците на Android (колкото и да е глас в пустинята).
За разработчиците
НЕ УЧАСТВАЙТЕ. Не се присъединявайте към програмата и не се записвайте в Android Developer Console. Не приемайте техните Общи условия, от които няма да можете после да се откажете. Не потвърждавайте самоличността си. Не играйте по свирката им.
Планът на Google ще сработи само ако разработчиците се подчинят. Не го правете.
- Опитайте се да разубедите другите разработчици и организации около себе си да не се включват в програмата.
- Добавете библиотеката FreeDroidWarn към приложенията си, за да предупредите потребителите.
- Имате уебсайт? Добавете банера с обратно отброяване.
За служители на Google
Ако знаете нещо, свързано с техническото осъществяване на програмата или вътрешна информация, пишете на tips@keepandroidopen.org от неслужебно устройство и акаунт, който не е на Gmail. Поверителността на вашата информация ще бъде строго защитена.
Всички, които са против…
71 организации от 23 държави са подписали отвореното писмо
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
Proton AG proton.me
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
FUTO futo.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
April april.org
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
iodé iode.tech
Techlore techlore.tech
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Brave brave.com
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
F-Droid f-droid.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
FACiL facil.qc.ca
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org Тук можете да прочетете цялото отворено писмо и да благодарите на подписалите се →
Какво казват хората
Технологични медии
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"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
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
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
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
Коментари и анализи
"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
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
"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
"The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours. Google decides which apps are allowed to be loaded on Android and which are not."
Tuta Blog
"Google 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
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"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
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
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
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"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
"Once there is no such thing as 'sideloading', there's virtually no difference between iOS and Android. I see no reason to buy Android over iOS at this point."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"The $25 isn't the real cost. The chilling effect is. Submitting government ID to Google is a non-starter for pseudonymous contributors and privacy researchers."
Arafat Alim, DEV Community
"Google 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
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"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
"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
"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
"This is not about protecting users. This is about control. This is about Google cutting out the last remaining artery of independence in Android."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"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
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"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'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
Организации и отворени писма
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"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
"There are governments who might very much like to know the names of the developers of those applications so that they can go after them."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"This 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
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"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
"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
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"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
"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 Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"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
"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
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"Google's developer verification policy creates a centralized database, controlled by a single corporation, containing the real-world identity of every person who writes software for Android."
Brave
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"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
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"A centralized global registration system for Android will inevitably chill this work. Those communities are likely to drop out of developing for Android altogether."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
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
"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
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"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
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
Ютубъри и създатели на съдържание
"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals
"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."
Techlore – YouTube
"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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Follow the money. Google makes money when apps are downloaded from its store. Google has completely forgotten about its earlier company motto: Don't be evil."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"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
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
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
"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 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
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google keeps getting in as much trouble as Apple when Google is half evil and Apple is full evil. So there are probably people inside Google saying, 'Why not just go full evil?'"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"Google is 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
"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
"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
"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube
"The 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
Разработчици и от общността
"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
"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 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's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, 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
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, 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
"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
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"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 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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"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
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"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
"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
"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
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), 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
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"If your country is ever in the crosshairs of 'American interests' and bears the brunt of its sanctions, it is possible that you cannot install apps from your fellow citizens. Your own local government, bank, and store apps."
devsda, Hacker News
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, 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
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"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
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"My Pixel 6 just broke, and after 15 years of using Android, I've finally been convinced to move to iOS. If I must live in a walled garden, I suppose I'll choose the one with nicer flowers."
yonato, Hacker News
"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
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, 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
"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
"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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"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
"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
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, 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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
Мнения от петицията
"The EU should help us "
Raphael, change.org
"You know, I'm pretty much the only person in my immediate friend group that doesn't have an iPhone. If android turns into just another version of iOS then what's stopping me from just going ahead and getting the iPhone to be in their ecosystem? Nothing. Wouldnt it be easier for me to just be the same as them if there's nothing better about android? "
Danielle, change.org
"The entire reason I have stuck with Android phones until now was my ability to INSTALL apps outside of the play store—key word install, not sideload. Even using that term is brainwashed lingo. A phone is just as much of a computer as a PC is, and I should be allowed to download whatever I want on a device a pay for. Especially when, in some cases, a laptop can be cheaper than a phone these days. This has always been a meaningful feature to me. Then there is the fact of censorship & creating a hostile environment for smaller dev teams. Having to pay a fee to Google, having to disclose IDs (this is also counterproductive to privacy focused apps). Any application that Google deems unfit, they can rip from the store. The 3rd party stores that Google will "let us" download from are no different from the Play Store. All those developers will still be subject to what Google is doing. If Android is going to become reskinned IOS, I would rather move to Apple. It's better optimized with many apps that absolutely DO NOT function near as well on Android or get updates way later than Apple. It's a smoother, cleaner product. Though, truly, I want to go to Motorola as they are planning to work with GrapheneOS which is privacy & security focused (which Google isn't! And this move is not making Android more secure!) These practices are anti-consumer AND anti-competition. Monopolistic, dirty practices. It's shameful that Google is still trying to act like they are an "open" system in the slightest while they actively shut out our ability to—again, INSTALL applications on our phone, which is essentially just a computer in our hands. Imagine if Windows did this, or even a Macbook. The free world is about having free choice, and this isn't that. I will absolutely be moving away from Android if this changes take effect. In the meantime, I'll take my in-app purchases to the actual websites behind them, use F-Droid & various places to download APKs to update in place of the Play Store. This is abhorent. TL;DR: Google is awful, hates consumer and developer freedoms, & yearns for censorship and growing it's monopolistic empire. I will be moving to any other phone if this happens. "
Jaden, change.org
"Android has benefited greatly from being open. It is what sperated Android from iOS. If Android is going to just be iOS, might as well just buy into the Apple ecosystem which is much more robust than Android. "
Chris, change.org
"this discourage even people that want to start at programming "
Elton, change.org
"Now we cant even test our own projects on android without licking the boots of microslop "
William, change.org
"Motivations drive actions. Any sincere reason to change other than power or greed? The app system works extremely well 'as is' so why should any group want this to change? Can only see harder times ahead for all - your kids for certain - if Google is allowed to do 'ruin, injury, pain, or harm': the definition of evil. Right now, the environment is lush for all - particularly Google - if all remains open. There is no good reason change. Motivations drive actions. "
D., change.org
"Hold Google accountable to the original vision of Android. Stop Google from limiting APK file usage. "
Jeff, change.org
""do no evil," my eye! this maga-adjacent, corpo-fascist overreach must be opposed, halted buried under copious amounts of binding democratic rules of fundanental software development freedoms & rights. no to paying tolls to genocide enabling skuoogle. no to overt subjugation of independent sw developers. if skruoogle had a consciencec... oh, but skruoogle has no conscience - it's not human. "
whiskey, change.org
"I had to begrudgingly install google on my phone recently, and it's so difficult to get it off. I'm probably going to install graphene on the phone in the near future, so I don't have to consent to everything and get tracked constantly. "
Hank, change.org
"I hæv been a lifeloŋ Android user because it offers ðe ability to customize it ænd sideload æpps on it wiþ ease, ænd I'm not lettiŋ google take ðæt right away! Down wiþ Big Broðer! Down wiþ mæss censoršip! Down wiþ age verificašon! Down wiþ mæss surveillance! Down wiþ ðis Digital ID tyrrany! "
∞ANTHONY∞, change.org
"Freedom has not been free. I had to change my name to even talk here without feeling like I am spied on. Let the people be free and happiness shall come, that is all I want to add. "
Fawks, change.org
"I'm making this comment because I think what Android and Google are doing is absurd. Because removing APKs from Android, like banning APKs, is very bad. Because Android has had APKs for so many years, taking away something that made Android what it is today is very bad. Many people like Android because of APKs, and I'm one of those people. Like, we had our childhood on Android because of APKs, so that's why I'm making this comment. This is for the good of Google and Android, and that's all. - David "
Davi, change.org
"Keep Android an open platform, avoid a massive class action lawsuit. I along many others bought an android phone precisely because of the open ecosystem, you change that, you get sued and lose customers "
Joseph, change.org
"I used APK's to play tons of games I loved, like angry birds star wars and I don't wanna see it taken from me. It has always been easier then apple (I know because I sideload all the time) and doesn't help anyone. You're moving customers away. Do better. "
Jane, change.org
"I don't want to be forced change brands or worse build my own (device), just to install programs I make / want to use, I feel like I will have to hack my phones and replace the OS with something that I can't verify how safe it is (I know android has its problems but still) "
tom, change.org
"Android is Linux. Linux is free! "
Arthur, change.org
"If Google does this I will move to iOS. If given a choice for locked down mobile OS I feel safer with Apple. And the way the world is going with all the horrible AI etc.. and corporate control of our lives I will take the lesser of two evils. At least with Apple you can OPT out of Apple intelligence during setup with iPhone just like with Mac OS which I recently went to after MS's windows 11. I'm pretty pessimistic about this change and realize that I will likely be purchasing my first iPhone in the end of the year. "
Trent, change.org
"Android has always been a symbol of freedom, a system that allowed us to use our devices our own way, without chains or limitations imposed by corporations. Now Google wants to take that away from Android users, to control every detail as if we weren’t capable of deciding what’s best for ourselves. I don’t agree, and I will never agree, with this absurd, authoritarian, and completely insane decision. They are killing the very essence of Android, the open spirit that made millions of people choose this platform. We, users and developers, have always stood for the power of choice. If Google thinks it can simply impose restrictions and hide behind a false narrative of security, it’s deeply mistaken. Android wasn’t born to be a digital prison. It was born to be free. And if Google keeps going down this path, make no mistake: the community will not stay silent. Freedom will always find a way to fight back. "
Ronaldo, change.org
"This is the main appeal of android to me. Having the freedom with my own device that I paid for instead of being limited. "
Joshua, change.org
"The biggest reason I love Android is because it's open. I have had ENOUGH of companies trying to decide what I can and can't do with the devices I purchased. If I spent money on it, it is MINE and I should be allowed to do whatever I want with it. Enough is enough. "
Callum, change.org
"The entier reason I left apple is because of Googles open source and user controlled devices, allowing for sideloading APKs as well as giving you ultimate say on if somthing is safe for you. Add in the new OneUI 8 that has more or less stopped users from rooting devices and we might as well just call it the "Apple Google phone" and just shut down google. Let Steve Jobs win as Google/Samsung seem to prefer. "
Jaylin, change.org
"If I wanted a phone that decided what I can and can't do I would have bought an iPhone. "
Tom, 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
"My name is Lawrence Wider Jr. I am a huge fan of Android. The ability flawlessly download the individuals files (APKs) of smartphone apps on my smartphone is the reason why I decided to choose Android as my first ever smartphone OS to use over iOS a couple of decades ago. In short, it was Freedom Of Choice that caused me to choose Android over IOS decades ago. If Google decides to go through with their plan to limit APK usage this September, then I will no longer have that awesome choice and I will no longer be able to choose the awesome smartphone OS known as Android as my smartphone os. The ability to flawlessly download the individuals files (APKs) of smartphone apps on my smartphone had also caused Android to be a fun smartphone OS for me to use. Another advantage of the ability for me to download individual files (APKs) of APKs on my Android smartphone has given me is the ability for it to be easier for me to use Android. If Google decides to limit APK file usage this September, then it would cause me to no longer choose Android as my smartphone is to use. Thank you. "
Lawrence, change.org
"This whole security benefit is BS "
Jordan, 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
"Our phone, our rights. Open source is freedom. We will not comply, we will turn to alternatives. "
Foghorne, change.org
"Being able to install "unverified" apps from third party app repositories has allowed me to discover ad-free software that fits my needs perfectly that aren't available on the Google Play store. Removing support for "unverified" apps would destroy all ability for me to use the phone I purchased how I see fit. "
Nella, change.org
"I value the open source initiative deeply. I believe that Google putting up barricades to make this harder to access and use for developers and consumers alike is an act against the freedom of the open source initiative. "
Samuel, 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 develop apps for personal use and use fdroid for open source and privacy focused apps. This will just be another step towards tyranny and control "
Jackson, 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'm repulsed by enshittification and the tightening grip of corporate oligarchs who bring nothing of worth to the table and therefore can only increase shareholder value by continuing to worsen their products "
Nicholas, 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
"The ONLY reason why i stay with android is because of the freedom. That is literally the only thing that makes android stand out compared to apple and is the reason why I stayed with android my whole life . If this change does happen and that freedom gets taken away . Im definitely going to switch to apple as there is no reason to entertain android/google anymore . Google , take note of your communities feelings on this matter and understand the risks from an financial stand point on how negatively this will impact your sales. I'm flat out saying you will lose me at least who is a loyal android and google supporter. If im willing to leave , imagine the rest of the community. "
Vincenzo, change.org
"Like me and other out there we like to use apks to download apps for free and we should have the freedom to download whatever we want on to our android phones they are our phones and we can download what we want on them and to see Google taking away apks and the freedom of download apps is bad and Google are also taking away features from the recovery screen and we should be free to install whatever software we want on Androids like custom OSs and good wants to make it harder for developers to share their apps and projects and Google wants control over our devices and they want to control of what we can and cannot download we need to stop Google from doing this and spread the word "
Fynch tc, change.org
"This "security" feature will stop independent non-commercial projects. We don't want to be locked in commercial CRAP "
David, change.org
"We need to stop the monopolies and surveillance of big tech corporations "
Tyler, change.org
"Keep android app development open! "
Samuel, change.org
"As a user STOP! What made me choose Android over iOS is the openness of it. By doing this you are killing what make android great, the fact that everyone can make an app and load it on his phone. You don't have iOS fan base. We will go elsewhere. "
marie-france, change.org
"I feel that Android needs to remain open, as it is the only other OS apart from desktop based OSes which allow for sideloading. It is up to the user to decide what they choose to install, not by Google to verify the developer of the said app the user wants to install. "
Zain, change.org
"Installing mini apps I wrote on my own device is the only reason I chose Android smartphone over dumbphone plus micro laptop. "
Alexey, change.org
"The whole point of android was user choice. Remove that and you remove all incentive good luck with sales. "
Jason, 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
"By implementing mandatory developer registration in September 2026, Google is fundamentally betraying the core promise of Android as an open ecosystem. This shift towards a restrictive, gatekeeper model breaks user trust, kills anonymous innovation, and signals that Android is no longer about user freedom, but rather total corporate control. This is the end of the open platform I chose to support. I urge Google to reverse course it is not too late. The path we are heading on is a very dark one . If you carr only about money you should consider how much money you will lose from this.. I will be leaving Googles ecosystem entirely from chrome, to gemini, to android . I Have been with Google since the beta invites of Gmail but this direction I cannot support and WILL not. Apple would be smart to take advantage of this and capture a gigantic portion of your marketshare. I know I will be using my iphone instead of my s25 ultra. "Don't be evil" - Google But even step you have taken is from greed and control. Which is evil. You have betrayed the very people who made you who you are. "
Michael, change.org
"I paid for the computer, its mine, I should be able to put whatever I want on it. I hate google, I will be removing every google associated anything from my life because of their continued abuse. "
Brenden, change.org
"We have the right to choose what apps we want to use or not to use leave it alone "
DENNIS, change.org
"This is an attempt to stifle free and open development because that development has created avenues that subvert Google's bottom line. People are becoming tired of being the product and have the right to their privacy- but Google belives they have a right to force people to become said product by limiting where and how they use their devices. Buzz-words like "a more secure ecosystem" are used to hide their true initiative: their bottom line. Ironically, this corse of action may become the driving force that pushes Linux phones into full maturity, thus amputating the open-source-development community as revenue. I don't subsidize my mobile device purchases so that I may have full control over what I can do with them. Upon this move, I will gladly suffer the inconvenience of a less-mature operating system or less-developed device over a walled garden built by greed mascurading under the guise of "This is what will be best for everyone." "
Jake, change.org
"If I wanted an iPhone, I would chuck my phone into the nearest dumpster and walk into the Apple store that very same day and buy an iPhone, but that is not what I want. I want the freedom to install the software of my choice and the right to use my device (that I have purchased!) in the way that I want. Google claims that developer verification is for the user's safety. However, forcing developers to disclose their identities will put their safety at risk if they live in countries where censorship is rampant, or make them a target for doxxing if any shady third parties wish to abuse this verification system for whatever petty reasons. "
David, 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
"This is my device, that i paid my hard earned money for. No one should be able to tell me what i can and can't install on something that I own. "
Arnold, change.org
"I switched to Android for my freedom to install apps. Now that the threat of app verification is looming over us, If this goes through, Android will no longer have a place in my life. Continue to allow (free and fair) APK installs! "
Sebastian, change.org
"APPLE wAS GONE LONG AGO NOW WHERE WILL WE GO? "
henry, change.org
"The ability to download external APKs which give my phone some really neat functionality is what prevents me (for the most part) from switching to IOS. Google, please don't take that away from us. At least tell us why you wish to restrict Android. "
D, change.org
"The device that you bought that you own should not have any restrictions added after the purchase of what you can or cannot download onto said device. What (Google) is trying to do is going directly against that. "
Emilie, change.org
"Your treason against humanity's freedom is going to be your downfall we will rise up against you sick sob's !!! "
Fu google, change.org
"This will be the end of the android power user base, and will likely completely fracture things as open source os developers will be forced to do a complete fork. "
Matt, change.org
"Google, which has long positioned itself as a defender of freedom on the internet, now seems to be taking worrying steps by trying to limit the installation of apps outside of the Google Play Store. This move not only restricts users' freedom of choice, but also centralizes even more power in the hands of a single corporation, creating a closed and controlled environment. By forcing developers to comply with its rules and fees, Google eliminates the possibility of cheaper or even free alternatives, making the Android ecosystem more restricted and expensive. Moreover, this decision goes against the very essence of Android, which has always been based on freedom of customization and access. It's a setback for users who seek greater control over their devices and privacy. Limiting app installations outside the Play Store is not just a matter of convenience, but a matter of respecting user autonomy. "
Júnior, change.org
"Doing such would result in possibly riots absolute loss of sales possibly people boycotting Google because of this I don't think it's a good idea I think it could possibly turn the world into chaos just this little thing is a tipping point anything could be Thank you for listening I appreciate your time. "
Matthew, change.org
"It's Android's openness that has allowed its development and evolution to this day. To close it would break the promise of an open system and deprive users of great freedom! "
Stark, change.org
"I honestly don't understand why this even has to be petitioned for in the first place. It should be self-evident that it should be entirely up to the user what software should be installed on their own device. "
Patrick, change.org
"This will eliminate a large number of users from the Android platform, most will leave because they are being restricted, and the others like myself will leave purely on principle. Teaching people to use technology in a smarter way will always be better than restrictions, and all of this will just be the beginning of censorship and control on a global scale, as is already happening with other Google applications. "
Bradley, change.org
"Google’s decision to end sideloading isn’t about user safety, it’s about control. By banning the ability to install apps outside the Play Store, Google isn’t protecting us it’s protecting its profits. Sideloading is what keeps Android open. It’s what allows small, independent developers to create and share apps without paying Google’s gatekeeping fees or begging for corporate approval. It’s what lets users, creators, and innovators build their own digital spaces, free from monopolized ecosystems. Ending sideloading means the end of true user choice. It hands Google even more power over what software we can access, what tools we can use, and ultimately what voices can reach us. This move strengthens surveillance capitalism, deepens corporate monopolies, and pushes us closer to a future where our devices — and our data — belong to corporations, not people. This is about more than Android. It’s about who controls our technology, our privacy, and our freedom online. We cannot allow one of the wealthiest corporations in history to dictate how billions interact with their own devices under the guise of “security.” Sign this petition to demand that Google stop its plan to remove sideloading in 2026. Defend open-source values, user rights, and digital democracy. The internet should serve people, not profit. Together, we can stand up for an open Android and a free digital future for everyone. "
Cole, change.org
"Android was created as an open platform. That openness made custom ROMs, alternative app stores, and independent FOSS projects possible. Limiting third-party APK installation reduces user choice and hurts independent developers. Security matters, but it should not remove legitimate options. Keeping Android open protects innovation and freedom of choice. "
Kevyn, 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
"The point of using Android over iOS is it's openness. Google is destroying one of the core tenets of the operating system under the guise of "protecting users." In reality, this is the same monopoly tactics they've already been legally convicted of. Remember: It's not "side-loading." It's "installing apps." Don't let Google trick you into thinking it's weird by foisting different language on you. "
Wesley, change.org
"One reason people buy android devices is for the freedom it offers. As it stands, should I buy a phone in the future, I'll probably just pick a Linux phone instead to avoid Google. "
Timothy, change.org
"I just spent $2000 on Samsung devices to break out of the Apple ecosystem because I'm tired of being locked down, and then I hear about this. Incredibly disappointing, I guess if they go through with this then I'll head back to iPhone after this, since nothing will set Android apart anymore. "
Kat, change.org
"After this decision I will just go with iPhone, this was the only reason I was using Android, just making it worse for the consumer, this is not about security but locking down people's choice of store, which in my opinion should be illegal give that we bought our phones and we should be able to do with them as we please "
Colin, change.org
"I really like the apps that I have found outside of the Google play store. I would be really upset to lose them and for them to stop working "
Jason, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom. "
ben, change.org
"I completely disagree because it is a form of Android dictatorship taking away the freedom to download apks like MT manager Play Story already gives an error when downloading and installing it, so please share this so that Google stops it. "
Ezer, change.org
"APKs are literally the backbone of everything android. Schools who develop android apps as a class will be out of luck. Please keep android open. "
Zachary, change.org
"I’m not even a developer, but this whole Google lockdown thing ticks me off. The reason I went with Android was freedom — being able to choose where I get my apps, try stuff from outside the Play Store, and actually use my phone how I want. Now Google’s trying to turn it into another Apple-style cage. If they force everything through the Play Store, it’s not just developers that get screwed. We do too. Prices will go up because Google takes its cut, and half the cool niche or indie apps will disappear. I shouldn’t have to beg permission to install something from GitHub or F-Droid. It’s my phone, I paid for it — not some rental Google gets to control. This isn’t about safety or quality, it’s straight-up greed. Android was always the “open” option, and Google’s throwing that away. "
Jared, change.org
"Stop trying to censor & limit everyone! You can't just monoplize everything! "
Caulen, change.org
"Might as well be an iPhone at this point. The whole point of Android was customization, and this kills that. Do better Google. "
William, change.org
"Stop this bullshit of trying to control our lives, deciding what I can and can't do. Enough with planned obsolescence, enough with authoritarianism. I, and only I, decide what's best for me, what I can and can't download on MY PHONE. "
Leonardo, change.org
"Hey Google, remember what you said? "Be together, not the same." "
Christopher, change.org
"Android since it start has its premisse of being a free place that you can do what you want, but with this change it is not possible anymore. This is restricting user freedom and censoring what can and cannot be displayed at android. "
Kaio, change.org
"I was really shocked when I heard that such thing is happening. I mean, isn't the point of Android itself to be fully open, especially compared to competitors as iOS? What's so wrong with a person developing apps as their passion/hobby? I don't think it is necessary to have to upload a government ID to a corporation just to make your app be able to be usable. It also impacts me, because I use very many open source apps as alternatives, which fit my usage a lot better, and I like to support those projects, and one more point, many people switching from iOS to Android are looking for the freedom that is sideloading apps without any hurdles. This has to change, or chaos would ensue around the Android world, and especially FOSS communities. "
Arsen, change.org
"Keep Android Open. We are not letting you form a monopoly, Google. It's OUR devices. If you continue with this, you'll remove one of the only reasons most people are not with Apple: freedom. So think about it. "
Bruno Leonel, 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
"I dislike all the changes that have undergone Android, but this one takes the cake for the worst one i could have ever imagined. "
Pye, change.org
"Some people live hard lifes, APKs gave us freedom and versatility with our smartphones, that one of the greatest things that made me buy and use android "
João Gabriel, change.org
"Hope all Android devices keep free on apk sideload and Bootloader unlock "
Hanzhang, change.org
"Bro this is the only thing keeping android over iOS don't take it "
Alejandro, change.org
"Android users have had the ability to use APKs for so long. It is a major thing that differentiates them from Apple, and something that has prevented me from switching over. Without the freedom of apks, there is nothing keeping me with Android or Google. "
Kayla, change.org
"I am in a restricted area (which happens to be the area cited in the petition). Presumably I don't need to explain what this means to me anymore. "
Wings, 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
"I'm a new Android game developer but unfortunately what Google did is unacceptable! We need to stop this stupid idea before it becomes a reality!! "
Guilherme, change.org
"Android became popular because it offered freedom and customization. Reducing APK access risks moving away from those values and limiting innovation within the ecosystem. We are asking Google to protect user choice, maintain transparency, and preserve the openness that defines Android. "
Assif, change.org
"Keep android open. We want to be able to install the software we want on the device we paid for. "
Knoel, change.org
"I do not condone google to control everything "
Leticia, change.org
"This won't make Android surpass Apple - it'll just speed up its demise "
ching, 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
"I do not support Google moving android in a totalitarian direction where freedom is removed and central authority is enforced. Keep Android Free! "
Phillip, change.org
"I have been avoiding iPhone and using Android specifically for this reason. Why would Google change something that is working for them? Why ruin something good? Short sighted and stupid move. "
Will, change.org
"The ability to download apps directly from developers is one of the main differentials of Android from IOS. Limiting this will severely impact the market share of Android by removing basically any reason anyone would want to use Android over IOS. "
gabriel, change.org
"As an open source coder, I cannot continue to work on mobile platforms with this change. It closes the door on an individuals right to free expression with the hardware platforms we already own. "
William, change.org
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