Your phone is about to stop being yours.

137 days until lockdown

Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.

Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.

What Google is doing

In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting in 2027, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.

Registration requires:

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

Who this hurts

You

You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was open. You could install what you wanted, and that was the deal.

Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you already own. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for.

Independent developers

A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. In 2027, none of these can be installed without Google's blessing.

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

Governments & civil society

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

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

Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

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

  1. Delve into System Settings, find About Phone
  2. Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
  3. Dismiss scare screens about coercion
  4. Enter your PIN
  5. Restart the device
  6. Wait 24 hours
  7. Come back, dismiss more scare screens
  8. Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
  9. Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"

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

Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed. And as of today, it hasn't shipped in any beta, preview, or canary build. It exists only as a blog post and some mockups.

This is bigger than Android

If Google can retroactively lock down billions of devices that were sold as open platforms, every hardware manufacturer on the planet is watching.

The principle being established: the company that made your device gets to decide, after you've bought it, what software you're allowed to run. In software, this is called a "rug pull"; but at least you could always install competing software. In hardware, it is a fait accompli that strips you of your agency and renders you powerless to the whims of a single unaccountable gatekeeper and convicted monopolist.

Android's openness was never just a feature. It was the promise that distinguished it from iPhone. Millions chose Android for exactly that reason. Google is now revoking that promise unilaterally, on devices already in people's pockets, because they've decided they have enough market dominance and regulatory capture to get away with it.

Ars Technica: "Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy."

But wait, isn't this...

"...just about security?"

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

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

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

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

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

"...the same thing Apple does?"

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

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

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

Fight back

Everyone

  • Install F-Droid on every Android device you own. Alternative stores only survive if people actually use them.
  • Contact your regulators. Regulators worldwide are genuinely concerned about monopolies and the centralization of power in the tech sector, and want to hear directly from individuals who are affected and concerned.
  • Share this page. Link to keepandroidopen.org everywhere.
  • Push back on astroturfers. The "well, actually..." crowd is out in force. Don't let them set the narrative.
  • Sign the change.org petition and join the over 100,000 signatories who have made their voices heard.
  • Read and share our open letter
  • Tell Google what you think of this through their own developer verification survey (for all the good that will do).

Developers

Do not sign up. Don't join the program by signing up for the Android Developer Console and agreeing to their irrevocable Terms and Conditions. Don't verify your identity. Don't play ball.

Google's plan only works if developers comply. Don't.

Google employees

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

All those opposed…

71 organizations from 23 countries have signed the open letter

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

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

What they're saying

Tech press

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

Ars Technica

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack

"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

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

SlashGear

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

Gizmochina

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

The Register

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"

Bleeping Computer

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

Infosecurity Magazine

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

Slashdot

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

Android Police

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

It's FOSS News

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

Thom Holwerda, OSnews

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

heise online

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

Cybernews

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

The Register

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

TechRepublic

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

Techdirt

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

Hackaday

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

XDA Developers

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld

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

How-To Geek

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

I-Programmer

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

TechSpot

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

Open Source For U

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

Android Headlines

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

9to5Google

"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"

How-To Geek

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

Reclaim The Net

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

Benzinga

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

MakeUseOf

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

Tuta Blog

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

TechCrunch

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

How-To Geek

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

Android Headlines

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine

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

The Register

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

The Verge

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

Techzine EU

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

Datamation

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

Android Headlines

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

Tom's Guide

Editorials & analysis

Organizations & open letters

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

AdGuard

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

European Pirate Party

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

Tech-ish Kenya

"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

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

Tuta

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

Tuta

"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

"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

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

Nextcloud

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

Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations

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

F-Droid

"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

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

Nextcloud

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

F-Droid

"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 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 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

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

European Parliament

"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

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

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

"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

"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

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

ACLU

"Google's abusive approach to the Android operating system has only gotten worse in recent years. Software freedom is sorely lacking in the 'computers in our pockets' we call cell phones."

Free Software Foundation

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

Osservatorio Nessuno

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

F-Droid

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

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

"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

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

AdGuard

YouTubers & creators

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

fireborn – Blog

"Google isn't testing this in the US or Europe first. They're starting in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Why? Because these are massive growth markets where regulation is weaker. By the time regulators catch up, the damage will already be done."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

"Google 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

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."

Techlore – YouTube

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

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

"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

"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

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

Tuta Blog – Blog

"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

"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

"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 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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."

Techlore – YouTube

"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."

The Linux Experiment – YouTube

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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

"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

Developers & community

"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

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

Zak, Lemmy

"Requiring a government ID to distribute software. Holy shit. If you are a kid and want to create a game for your friends, you better get that birth certificate ready!"

llitz, Reddit

"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

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

flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News

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

hbn, Hacker News

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

afferi300rina, Hacker News

"I teach digital literacy and 99% of unsavory software I encounter on people's phones come from the Play Store or App Store. I will believe they're serious about protecting users when I see them do something about the crap ton of borderline scam apps infesting their stores."

1995ToyotaCorolla, Lemmy

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

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

Zak, 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

"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

"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

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

tejtm, 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

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

Apocryphon, Hacker News

"Years ago, I wondered how Google would try to get away with locking down Android and shutting the cage door after capturing such a large dependent user base. Now I see how they are trying to get away with it."

chaznabin, Reddit

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

nibbleyou (developer in India), 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

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, Lemmy

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

anordal, Lobsters

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

Max-P, Lemmy

"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

"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

"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

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

gumby271, Hacker News

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

layfellow, 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

"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

"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

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

girvo, Hacker News

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

WaffleMonster, Slashdot

"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."

vala, Lemmy

"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

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

Tiraon, Tildes

"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

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"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

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

survirtual, 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

"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."

gcupc, Lobsters

"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

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

MrZander, Hacker News

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

hn92726819, 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

"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

"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

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

globular-toast, Hacker News

"Google's 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

"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

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

TheTearMiser, 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

Voices from the petition

"Google is Google's own worst enemy. If this goes through, I will never use any of their services ever again. GOOGLE IS A BAD ACTOR AND A BAD COMPANY! WHAT HAPPENED TO "DON'T BE EVIL"?!?! "

Ryan, change.org

"It is and has always been important to be able to install an app. Countless times I get an app update that breaks something and I have to downgrade to the old version until it is fixed. This simple and necessary fix will not be possible if APKs are limited. "

Michael, change.org

"Google's attempt to prevent outside app installation on Android is very concerning. Only allowing approved developers will make it so developers will feel less inclined to make new apps. Additionally, this should raise antitrust laws into full affect as there ownership over android and attempted control over the whole market of phones that use the android ecosystem is very wrong. "

Joey, change.org

"This will effectively remove the android edge over apple. Modifying my phone is the main reason I choose not just android but GOOGLE PIXEL phone and accessories. Literally a huge market mistake. Signed by android consumer and advocate... "

Michael, change.org

"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

"Keep Android Open "

Timothy, change.org

"Side loading is the way I have made my phone run better, my privacy has been better maintained and it gives me freedom that Google and Apple don't. By blocking side loading apps Google is essentially turning into another Apple. It is no wonder why Motorola is looking at returning GraphineOS as well as other manufacturers are using Linux based phone OS's. People need that freedom that android has given us. "

Daniel, 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

"That cannot be allowed, it even attacks the freedom of all users who use Android, for years that has always been the case, therefore, making that change, It would result in a catastrophic situation for many users, including Google itself, with many losses in every sense. "

Javier, change.org

"I like to have a choice to choose and I understand the risks, that is why I check, Google should not have monopoly over it. "

Rosalie, change.org

"I chose to use Android devices specifically due to the control that I, as an end user, have over my files and the programs I chose to install on them. Even if a program comes from an independent programmer, even from other countries stores (like RuStore), even if it an open source app (like the ones from F-Droid), or just choosing to use Telegram from the first and most reliable source ever- the developer's website itself. I once had an iOS device and I totally detested how locked up it was, it was almost as if I were digitally "high jacked", depending on authorisation to do anything! Please don't remove us our freedom of doing to our devices our own experiments, finding and developing emulators for our old games and apps that suit our needs even if they're not economically viable. Plus: Don't take away the one tool many persecuted Christians around the world have to download Bibles to their phones. That's cruel and inhumane. "

Barbara, change.org

"Dawg how am i supposed to live without sideloaded apks "

Sean, change.org

"Google. Seriously. Stop. You're becoming the definition of the "don't be evil" slogan that you've buried. You're making Android even worse than iOS "

Karkan, change.org

"The biggest reason I use Android is because I like the fact that it's open and if I don't like something I can just fix it also I like the ability to have my open source apps which you're trying to kill I guess you're just going to help boost The amount of people that are switching over to a true linux-based phone "

Justin, 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

"The thing about Android has always been that it is open, people should have the right to install whatever software they want on their phones. KEEP ANDROID OPEN!!! "

Sofia, change.org

"Implanting a feature like this would just kill the whole point of why i brought an android device. Might as well switch to apple, cause at least I would have a more cohesive experience. "

Edgar, change.org

"This change would essentially make android comparable to iOS in the sense of the restricted amount of freedom we have over the operating system and how we want the operating system to function. This will also result in a constant battle between new "crackers" trying to find ways to spoof the signature system and Google patching the spoofs to keep the system restricted. This is not for security, this is corporate control over a dominating service they can milk for profit and add to their greed "

Simon, change.org

"Choice and modification is the root of the Android platform. I should be able to install software I want on my own phone. If Android becomes a walled garden, then there will be no real reason to buy an Android, and I'll buy an Apple. "

Bailey, change.org

"Every year my tech gets less and less useful, it seems like every time I look away Alphabet adds more hurdles to jump over simply to have basic access to MY device. Google is a glorified intelligence agency conjured from the depths of DARPA and the CIA. They're allowed to retain their monopoly, not only because of the capitalist dystopia we live in, but because they're a thinly veiled arm of our criminal government, being welded like a cudgel against not only China's much superior tech industry, but the entire world in the form of the tailor made, digital echo chambers they lock us in. "

Steven, change.org

"The whole point of Android is to give the user the freedom to use their phone in and way they want. To limit that freedom will only cause users to resent and stop using android. Hopefully they reverse this choice. "

Eduardo, change.org

"Choosing Android was choosing a degree of freedom and opportunity to use my device like it was device. The all the anti-competitive legislation, it is impossible to fathom how this move to wall-off the ecosystem and close the source could be suggested. This "update" would actually reduce the function and privacy opportunities of the device I OWN. This is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4Upf_B9RLQ If Google continues course, I would choose Apple as the lesser of two evils, with more polished hardware. "

Sean, change.org

"well ima an artist and i dont have much money wich mean i cant even afford to even exist sometimes but using open source tools and side loading allows me to even have a chance to compete e end with other artists who may be alot more wealthy or privlaged .not only that its my right as Amarican citizen since the first amendment i have every right to free speach and self expression and to extension the Bible as a divine right giving to me as a human being from god him self and every other living thing on this eath across the world and even the universe if you will.my freedom mean i have a chance if you take that way that make things harder for everyone not just the ones that already had nothing. ppl are willing to do so much if you give them even the smallest chance if it mean achieving there dreams so ,plz reconsider. as some one whos used google practically for evey single input in there os its turned me into someone better then even i could imagine and bough me so much hope. i think it would break my heart if you didn't. "

light, change.org

"The only reason I have a Samsung is because my VTuber software is an open-source APK, and I doubt Google will approve it then the restriction happens. "

Jesse, change.org

"i dont want google to take such a little freedom of installing apps that i think are handy "

gosha, change.org

"The main reason I use Android products at all is for their modability. To require ID verification just invades the privacy of app developers and does absolutely nothing to protect Android users. At this point, what would make Android products any different from Apple? This is completely unacceptable; this will end up hurting more people than it does help. "

Elise, change.org

"Stop Google from limiting APK file usage! "

Daniel, change.org

"Remember when google was cool? "

Andrew, change.org

"Invasion of privacy in the name of security "

Sadegh, 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

"Google cannot restrict APKs. "

Ruan, change.org

"I didn't even know they were trying to pull this until today! This is scary and concerning as a consumer, stop limiting my freedom on my device! "

Chloe, change.org

"This won't make Android surpass Apple - it'll just speed up its demise "

ching, change.org

"Android has always been known as the more freedom option on the market. With this move by Google will shatter that belief and create distrust completely. Keep Android free and always will! "

Phuong, change.org

"I use open source apps from F Droid in place of stock apps because they require less permissions, use less resources and offer better theming and customization. The whole point of Android was supposed to be that you can do whatever you want on it as apposed to iOS. Sure, not everyone installs custom or third party apps, but why take the option away from people who do? "

Cory, 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

"A better way to improve Android security is for Google to require all their own code and the code of all Play Store apps to be fully free as in freedom to make security research easier. Ideally, all Google code would also be bootstrappable and reproducible. Without 100% free software all the time, we can only assume there ore backdoors and malicious code in Google products and Play Store apps. "

Seth, change.org

"I'll be switching to iPhone if they pass the verification requirements, what's the point of using a locked down os if a better one is around the corner. "

Edwin, change.org

"one of the best advantages of Android over iOS "

Anderson, 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

"hell naw I will stick to using old android if I have to "

Willie, change.org

"Android was built on FOSS foundations and this anti-consumer move goes against the guiding tenants of the OS and Google's mission. No-one who uses Android wants to see Google pervert it into a second-rate apple. This move is a violation of consumer faith and a bad long-term business decision. Revert it in it's entirety before you loose the core attraction of your product. "

Tate, change.org

"Computers and modern technology was built and advanced by hobbyists who could freely develop for and modify their devices. By limiting APKs and off store software installs we are killing the innovation that built this industry. I stand with FOSS, I stand with hobbyists. "

Paul, change.org

"Without the ability to make my own choices on it I have no reason to use android. I am already tired of and furious about censorship if this goes through I will never use android again. "

Orrin, change.org

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

Alexis, change.org

"Liberdade ao Android! "

Guilherme, change.org

"Enough freedoms have been taken away, so leave the tech ALONE!!! "

John, change.org

"This move is a step backward for the Android ecosystem for so many reasons, but most of because all Google claiming this is for "security" is very disingenuous. Malware already exists on the Play Store, and restricting independent, open-source software does not make users safer, it only makes the ecosystem more closed and worse off. This is anti-consumer to a tee and should not be allowed to happen. "

Teemu, change.org

"In the eyes of serious digital Android users & developers this is an another blatant attempt by Google to monopolize & obtain total centralized control over our application space. Shockingly this mirrors a similar path seen within despotic nations, nations who are our adversaries. History has already proven this is a slippery slope. These actions will take away many jobs from from the countless Android developers & truly harm the intended purpose of Android in America. We must pick, freedom for the common people or tyranny to help a mega corporation in this new digital age. "

Phillip, 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

"Love android because its open source, you're literally killing your base and the reason why people love android. Close it down and we will all find a better solution "

Courtney, change.org

"We want our freedom of speech "

Mohammed, change.org

"Stop Google "

Sa, 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

"As I'm planning on purchasing a new device soon, this announcement is making me reconsider choosing android at all. If it is moving towards controlling user freedoms, Android becomes less compelling, as that has been the major draw for me. "

Taryn, change.org

"This will be the death of android and Google is holding the gun. My entire attraction to android was the freedom. Now that this will potentially cease to exist, I have no problem finding another source of freedom. Google thinks they're being smart, but they are only killing themselves slowly. Android users everywhere must make sure google pays dearly for the abomination they are creating. "

Kevin, change.org

"I choose to use Android as it gives me the ability to freely use my mobile phone the way I intend to. I would like to continue developing apps as a hobby without needing to be an "approved developer" and sharing my government issued identity with Google. "

Christian, change.org

"The world can live without android if it's just an apple clone, and the Chinese will copy/clone better if you give them such a easy opportunity sense your taking away freedom, all they have to do is give some freedom and everyone won't be buying apple or android anymore. "

Hilario, change.org

"This is the entire point of many people using Android in the first place, you take this away and something new will come along and replace you. "

Jacob, change.org

"How can this be about security when the vast majority of people installing 3rd party apps are accepting that risk. Your anti virus services should be more than enough to prevent malicious applications but babying a population won't go well for you. I for one will get a huawei phone immediately after the change is officialized, privacy be damned, it's less authoritarian than what you're planning on doing. "

D, change.org

"I have always used android for this exact reason. For the freedom to do whatever I want on my device that I paid for. "

Juan, change.org

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

Cory, change.org

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

Peter, change.org

"what does google think'll happen when they remove this aspect of android. this is the only distinguishable feature between ios and android "

Mail-main, change.org

"Limiting APK file issue is not a good idea. It is basically like apple os and will greatly hurt my projects... "

Josias, change.org

"As a life long android user who is also part of open source communities, I have to speak my voice on how this goes against everything about why the people love Android. I've always shared how amazing Android is specifically being able to sideload apps outside of Google Play unlike Apple. I love being able to use my device the way I please in comparison of it being "locked down." The whole sole purpose of Android is for it to have an it open source approach for developers and consumers. I am not a developer, but as a open/close source consumer I cannot express enough how much I truly appreciate have open source applications as an option besides Google Play store. I really hope Google can find a way that we can all be one big happy family and continue what is already great. LET US KEEP OUR ANDROID FREEDOM! "

Justin, change.org

"This is an authoritarian play by Google to regulate their customers (aka a huge percentage of the public) not by national law but by their own personal whims on what's "best" for their corporation and shareholders. It undermines a customer's right to modify their products how they want, and instills power to themselves to govern essentially all software that gets developed for non-iOS phones, which is highly unethical and anti-consumer. If this gets implemented I will be selling my phone and switching to a non-android product. "

Nick, change.org

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

yousef, change.org

"No kings, not even Google. We the people are largely on android instead of IOS because of its open ecosystem. Killing that kills one of your major reasons for existing. Continue and your can bid farewell to massive chunks of users when the decision of what new phone to choose comes around. "

Patrick, change.org

"In this day and age, most of the rich and powerful are attempting to restrict the choices normal people have, and Google attempting to limit the open-source nature of Android is just one more example of this. What Google is doing is not protecting anyone and only serves to limit what we are allowed to do, and I don't want to idly stand by as the rich become richer. "

Joseph, change.org

"No one is happy about this change. F-droid is infinitely more trustworthy than the play store, and does not need google prying into developers personal info to keep people safe. Being an open platform is the fundamental basis of android user's usage "

Cris, change.org

"Screw that! "

Thierry, change.org

"As an Android user in Australia, I'm deeply concerned about what this policy means for consumers worldwide. When I purchased my Android device, I chose it because of its openness and freedom. Google is now unilaterally revoking that promise with a forced update — without consent, without recourse, and without accountability. This isn't just a developer issue. It affects every person who believes they should have the right to control their own device. I've already contacted the ACCC and my local MP, and I urge others to do the same. We cannot let a single corporation decide what software we are permitted to trust. "

Kaito, change.org

"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've been the victim of identify theft and attempted payment fraud through the old Google Wallet platform. Thankfully my bank caught it, but when I disputed the charges Google insisted they were authorized, messing up my finances by having nearly $1500 drop out of my account for a week while I insisted I didnt transfer large amounts to random addresses. Ultimately, my bank sided with me, and despite being provided with police reports and dispute reports Google still wanted the transactions to go through. The consequence I received for not wanting to have money stolen from me is that Google has suspended payments for my account across all their services. I cannot buy apps from the Play Store or anything else requiring a payment even a decade later. Luckily some developers will take payment directly for the few apps that I have ended up needing to buy, and FDroid or other alternatives have given me a lot more choices to Google's ecosystem. You have to get creative when the corporation won't let you participate. Despite these hardships I still prefer Android's openness to iOS. Google should not fundamentally lock out alternatives. "

Dominic, change.org

"Ces é paia mano "

Solalalule, change.org

"If I can't install FOSS apps then I will switch to Apple and delete my google account. "

Eli, change.org

"This does not protect anybody. All it does is restrict an OS that was supposed to be open. This was one of the main benefits of Android over iOS, and now it's being removed. This also kills the open source ecosystem, since alternative app stores cannot function if all developers are required to pay Google and pay a fee. Ordinary users are already protected from malware with Google Play Protect, and app sideloading disabled by default. This does not help anyone. Even calling it sideloading is misleading, since we own the device NOT Google. On a computer, this is called installing software. It shouldn't be different on a phone. This will also allow government censorship of apps that protect privacy. Overall a terrible idea. "

Daniel, change.org

"As someone who has started making my own apps for fun, the prospect of not being able to test them on my device or share them with friends is ridiculous. If this goes through my next phone upgrade will not have anything to do with google. "

Al, change.org

"I do not like doing this to Google but if I have to I will format my phone and I will switch it over to Kiley "

Jonathan, change.org

"This has always been absurd. Android was always sold and promoted as free software, a portable computer for free use, with users taking on their own risks most of the time (always, really). Then Google started restricting it, making it harder and harder to take responsibility for installing apps outside their store. How does a company that owns Android think it has the right to force users to only use its system, no questions asked? Beyond the issue for developers, this is straight-up authoritarianism. The software was always free even though it came from Google, but in recent years Google has started with this nonsense. For what reason? It’s annoying for everyone — from the average user who just wanted to make some basic system tweaks, to the developer who relies on this as a source of income. I sincerely hope from the bottom of my heart that something gets done and this gets resolved. I’ve always been an Android user. "

Adenildo, change.org

"We have arrived at the point of no return surrounding our digital freedom in the face of tech's constant struggle for authoritarian control. We will simply not accept this from companies that have abused their power and control over us for decades while they claim it's to protect us, for our own good. You will NEVER regain what's been taken from you, the only option is to stop them before they succeed! "

Brandon, change.org

"I despise ALPHABET's manipulative and self-serving gestures, toward gate-keeping OUR FREEDOMS and coyly investing themselves in THEIR PROMOTION, of our best intetests! 601=VC1 "

Ian, change.org

"As an Android developer myself, putting restrictions on an OS that people use to escape the restrictions of — let's say — iOS is a really bold and unconditional move. "

EXPOSED, change.org

"Morra Google! "

Abraao, change.org

"I use Android specifically because it is a more open platform. I develop apps for myself and family members and I have no intention of becoming any kind of approved developer just to continue to do that. This is an absolute bait and switch to the most loyal of Android users and is going to drive many of us to seek out alternative operating systems. And sadly makes me want to de-google my life even further. "

greg, change.org

"Why would you change what is by far the most appealing aspect of your operating system? Why would you choose to take the thing that set Google apart from Apple and imitate them? A locked down, dumbed down, "My way or the highway" approach to your user base is insulting, and now people will be desperately trying to find out create a new option, and you'll have no way to compare favorably even against your biggest competitor because you're choosing to be in the same boat. "

Michael, change.org

"Google has shown a lack of respect for user privacy their entire existence. You own your device, you spent hundreds of dollars/Euros for it. It was not a loan by Google, it is yours, and you should control what you use it for. People who want to use only Google verified apps are free to do so without having to infringe on the rights of the people knowledgeable enough to make the decision to use apps from outside Google's Play store. Google and others have long criticized Apple for this exact thing, to the point that they're in a lawsuit for it. For Google to try this shows a complete lack of respect for the customer, a lack of integrity, and complete and utter hypocrisy. If I want to make a personal app to control a toy I made and programmed, why should I have to give Google my personal information, jump through extra hoops, give them my code, and PAY them for the privilege of doing my own work? It's ridiculous. It's pure corporate greed. More than that, it's an attempt from Google to control your device. Yet another avenue for censorship, surveillance, and the road towards a world without any freedom, all under the guise of "safety." This is not just an attack on you and your device. This is an attack on your freedom as an individual and your right to your privacy and choice. This shouldn't just be a petition, this needs to be nonnegotiable. "

Paul, change.org

"There's a reason we chose Android over iOS. If this change happens there is zero reason for me to ever purchase another android device ever again. Might as well have better device hardware at that point. "

Daniel, 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

"I only somewhat recently found open source apps and some of my favorite apps to use for certain services have easily become my favorite ones to use above googles or the play stores apps, and I trust apps from F-droid and other sources more than I would trust apps from the play store or even baked in apps with some that would actually make doing things less easy and enjoyable if suddenly I was unable to use them "

Robert, change.org

"APKs have been very useful to me for getting games I would otherwise have to get overseas with my dad earlier. It allows many more other applications to be downloaded on to my phone too, which would allow me to bypass the need to get the admin code to my computer every time I want to get something. What is this bs that Google is doing? "

Ja, 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

"This is bad for the consumer "

Swargin, change.org

"Dystopian, unaccountable corporate control and rug pulling. "

Ethan, change.org

"Because we have no more free OS like android, so keep android open is very important, imo "

DeVaughn, change.org

"The market benefits when there are choices. The choice to lock down Android is the wrong one. When I buy an android phone I buy the right to have control over the system and what happens in that system. Locking down Android phones is anti consumer. "

Jimben, change.org

"One of the core principals of Android has been consumer choice. Especially in the current day, it's more important than ever that the consumer can choose where to get their software from. As a developer myself, I do not want to and WILL NOT sign up for the developer verification program, as Google has no right to tell me what I can do with my device. I do not trust any company to keep me safe, and especially not when they're overreaching into the personal lives and choices of the everyday user. Even from a consumer quality of life perspective, this change is hugely detrimental. Google Play is infested with ads, bad faith apps, sponsorships, and so much more I do not want to see. Alternative storefronts give users the choice to avoid clunky, nasty pieces of software and choose what workflow is best for them. I beg, please reconsider this choice and keep consumer's rights intact. "

Alexander, change.org

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

Oscar, change.org

"Intelectual property is a disgrace! If what Google is trying to do is normalized it will eventually reach other OSes and it could kill game preservation via emulation. Not only that, they are also trying to normalize putting ridiculous restrictions to the freedom of the developers which could eventually kill open-source or at least make it unimaginably worst! "

Guilherme, change.org

All references, editorials, press coverage, and videos →

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

You bought your phone.
You should decide what runs on it.

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

Share this page. Don't sign up. Don't let them close Android.