Ваш телефон скоро перестане бути вашим
Починаючи з 2027* року, тихе оновлення, без згоди запущене Google, заблокує всі Android-застосунки, чиї розробники не зареєструвалися в Google, не підписали з ними контракт, не сплатили комісію та не надали державного посвідчення особи.
Кожен застосунок і кожен пристрій у світі, без можливості відмовитись
↓Що Google робить
У серпні 2025 року компанія Google оголосила про нові вимоги: з 2027 року кожен розробник застосунків для Android повинен буде зареєструватися в централізованій системі Google, перш ніж його програми можна буде встановити на будь-який пристрій. Це правило поширюється не лише на Play Store, а абсолютно на всі застосунки. Навіть на ті, що передаються безпосередньо між друзями, завантажуються через F-Droid або створюються ентузіастами для особистого користування. Відтак незалежні розробники, церковні та громадські організації, а також звичайні ентузіасти втратять можливість вільно створювати й розповсюджувати своє програмне забезпечення.
Реєстрація передбачає:
- Сплачення комісії Google
- Погодження із Умовами використання Google
- Надання державного посвідчення особи
- Забезпечення доказів про наявність у вас вашого приватного ключа підпису
- Перелік усіх поточних і майбутніх ідентифікаторів застосунків
Якщо розробник не буде дотримуватись цих вимог, його застосунки будуть тихо заблоковані на кожному Android-пристрої у світі
Кого це стосується
Вас
Ви придбали телефон на Android, бо Google запевняв, що ця платформа є відкритою. Ви могли встановлювати все, що забажаєте - ось у чому полягала суть.
Зараз Google переглядає умови цієї угоди, поширюючи їх на пристрої, які ви вже маєте. Після оновлення ви зможете використовувати лише ті застосунки, які попередньо схвалив Google. На вашому телефоні - вашій власності, за яку ви заплатили.
Незалежних розробників
Перший застосунок підлітка, інструмент для захисту приватності, створений волонтером, чи конфіденційна внутрішня бета-версія застосунку компанії. Не має значення. У 2027 році жоден із них не можна буде встановити без дозволу Google.
F-Droid, домівка для тисяч вільних та відкритих застосунків для Android, назвала це загрозою існування. Корі Докторов називає її "Дарт-Android".
Урядів та громадських організацій
Компанія Google має документально підтверджену практику виконання вимог авторитарних режимів щодо видалення застосунків. У рамках цієї програми, програмне забезпечення, на якому працюють державні установи вашої країни, буде залежати від примх однієї-єдиної іноземної корпорації, яка не несе жодної відповідальності.
EFF називає контроль доступу до застосунків «шляхом, що постійно розширюється до цензури в Інтернеті».
«Шлях до порятунку» від Google виявився пасткою
Google заявляє, що «досвідчені користувачі» можуть «як і раніше» встановлювати неперевірені програми. Ось як це насправді виглядає:
- Зайдіть у налаштування системи та знайдіть розділ «Про пристрій»
- Натисніть на номер збірки сім разів, щоб увімкнути режим розробника
- Закрийте попереджувальні екрани про примус
- Введіть свій PIN-код
- Перезапустіть пристрій
- Зачекайте 24 години
- Поверніться, закрийте інші попереджувальні екрани
- Виберіть «дозволити тимчасово» (7 днів) або «дозволити безстроково»
- Ще раз підтвердьте, що ви розумієте «ризики»
Дев'ять кроків. Обов'язковий 24-годинний період очікування. Для встановлення застосунків на пристрій, який належить вам.
Гірше того: цей алгоритм повністю працює через Сервіси Google Play, а не через ОС Android. Google може його змінити, посилити або взагалі вимкнути в будь-який момент, без необхідності оновлення ОС та без будь-якої згоди. І на сьогодні він не був реалізований у жодній бета-, попередній або тестовій версії. Він існує лише у вигляді публікації в блозі та кількох макетів.
Це більше, ніж просто Android
Якщо Google вдасться просто взяти і заблокувати мільярди пристроїв, які обіцяли бути відкритими, - це стане сигналом для кожного виробника обладнання у світі.
Встановлюється принцип: компанія-виробник вашого пристрою одноосібно вирішує вже після покупки, яке програмне забезпечення вам дозволено запускати. У індустрії це називають «вибиванням ґрунту з-під ніг» (rug pull); але там ви принаймні завжди могли встановити програмне забезпечення від конкурентів. У випадку з «залізом» - це fait accompli (доконаний факт), який позбавляє вас суб'єктності та робить безсилими перед примхами єдиного непідзвітного контролера доступу та визнаного монополіста.
Відкритість Android ніколи не була просто однією з функцій. Це була обіцянка, яка відрізняла його від iPhone. Саме з цієї причини мільйони людей обрали Android. Зараз Google в односторонньому порядку порушує цю обіцянку щодо пристроїв, які вже лежать у кишенях користувачів, оскільки компанія вирішила, що її домінування на ринку та вплив на регуляторні органи достатні, щоб уникнути відповідальності.
Ars Technica: «Заздрість Google до Apple загрожує зруйнувати традиції відкритості Android.»
Зачекайте, але це не...
«...просто про безпеку?»
Аргументи щодо безпеки - це лише прикриття. Google Play Protect і так перевіряє програми на наявність шкідливого ПЗ незалежно від особи розробника. Вимога надати паспорт не робить код безпечнішим. Це робить розробників ідентифікованими та контрольованими. Автори шкідливих застосунків можуть зареєструватися. Незалежні розробники та незгодні часто не можуть. EFF висловлюється прямо: контроль на основі ідентифікації є інструментом цензури, а не безпеки.
«...все те ж встановлення зі сторонніх джерел, якщо йти складнішим шляхом?»
Дев'ять кроків, 24-годинне очікування, все це заховано глибоко в налаштуваннях для розробників і надається через пропрієтарний сервіс, який Google може відкликати будь-коли. Це не сайдлоадинг. Це механізм стримування, створений для того, щоб його майже ніхто не пройшов до кінця. А оскільки він працює через Сервіси Google Play, а не через сам Android, Google може посилити обмеження або просто «вбити» його без жодного шуму.
«...проблема лише для тих, кому є що приховувати?»
Першими жертвами стануть викривачі корупції, журналісти та активісти в країнах з авторитарними режимами. Наступними - люди, що опинилися в ситуаціях домашнього насильства. Усі ці групи мають законні підстави поширювати або використовувати застосунки, не вносячи свої особисті дані до бази Google. Традиція анонімного внеску у відкритий код старіша за саму компанію Google. Ця політика ставить на ній хрест в екосистемі Android.
«...те саме, що робить Apple?»
Apple була «огородженим садом» з першого дня. Люди обирали Android саме за те, що він був іншим. Аргумент «Apple робить так само» - це шлях у нікуди та слабке виправдання за принципом tu quoque (сам такий). Більше того, під тиском регуляторів (зокрема Закону ЄС про цифрові ринки) навіть Apple змушена погоджуватися. Google же рухається у зворотному напрямку: намагається ще сильніше закріпити свій статус контролера доступу.
«...всього лише 25 доларів і трохи паперової тяганини?»
Можливо, якщо ви розробник у США з кредитною карткою та водійським посвідченням. Але спробуйте бути студентом у країнах Африки на південь від Сахари, дисидентом у М'янмі або волонтером, який підтримує застосунок для місцевої громади. Ціна тут не лише фінансова: ви передаєте копію свого державного посвідчення особи та дані про ключі підпису компанії, яка регулярно виконує вимоги урядів щодо видалення застосунків та деанонімізації розробників.
Дайте відсіч!
Кожен
- Встановіть F-Droid на кожен ваш пристрій з Android. Альтернативні магазини застосунків виживають лише тоді, коли люди ними користуються.
- Зверніться до своїх регуляторних органів. Регуляторні органи по всьому світу щиро стурбовані проблемою монополій та централізації влади у технологічному секторі і хочуть почути думку безпосередньо від тих, кого це стосується і хто переймається цією проблемою.
- Поділіться цією сторінкою. Поширюйте посилання на keepandroidopen.org усюди.
- Не піддавайтеся на провокації підставних агітаторів. Армія «ну-взагалі-то-експертів» уже тут як тут. Не дозволяйте їм диктувати тон дискусії.
- Підпишіть петицію на change.org і приєднайтеся до понад 100 000 людей, які вже висловили свою думку.
- Прочитайте та поширюйте наш маніфест
- Поділіться з Google своєю думкою, заповнивши їхню анкету для перевірки розробників (ніби це щось змінить).
Розробники
Не реєструйтеся. Не приєднуйтесь до програми, реєструючись у Консолі розробника Android (Android Developer Console) та погоджуючись з їхніми незворотними Умовами використання. Не підтверджуйте свою особу. Не грайте за їхніми правилами.
План Google спрацює лише за умови, якщо розробники його дотримуватимуться. Не робіть цього.
- Переконайте інших розробників та організації не реєструватися.
- Додайте бібліотеку FreeDroidWarn до ваших застосунків, щоб повідомити користувачів.
- У вас є сайт? Додайте банер із відліком.
Співробітники Google
Якщо вам відомо щось про технічну реалізацію програми або її внутрішню логіку, зверніться до tips@keepandroidopen.org з неробочого комп'ютера та з не-Gmail-адреси. Гарантуємо сувору конфіденційність.
Усі, хто проти…
71 організацій із 23 країн підписали маніфест
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Cryptee crypt.ee
Data Rights datarights.ngo
FULU Foundation fulu.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
Proton AG proton.me
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
FUTO futo.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
F-Droid f-droid.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
CryptPad cryptpad.org
April april.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Brave brave.com
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
iodé iode.tech
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Techlore techlore.tech
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co Прочитати маніфест повністю та подякувати тим, хто його підписав →
Що кажуть інші
Технологічна преса
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"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 is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Google's 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
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
Редакційні матеріали та аналізи
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"Sideloading, a longstanding pillar of Android's openness, is now being marginalized, placing the Android platform closer to the walled-garden approach of Apple's iOS."
Purism
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"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
"Android is not open anymore. It's not an alternative. It's not even trying. It's iOS with ads and spyware bolted on."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google has 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
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"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
"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
"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 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
"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
"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
"There is also the very real possibility that Google will leak your identity with the result that any apps with political implications could result in persecution and worse."
I-Programmer
"Google'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
"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
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"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
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google isn't certifying apps, they're certifying developers. This implies that the company can somehow predict whether a developer will do something malicious in the future."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"Although Google's claim is that this is for 'security', it does not prevent the regular practice of scammers buying up existing verified developer accounts."
Maya Posch, Hackaday
"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
Організації та маніфести
"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
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"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
"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
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
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
"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 will cut off independent developers to Android if they do not register with Google first. This will kill independent platforms like F-Droid and severely impede FLOSS devs from creating apps for Android."
KDE
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"There are governments who might very much like to know the names of the developers of those applications so that they can go after them."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"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
"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
"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
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"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
"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
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"Google's developer verification policy creates a centralized database, controlled by a single corporation, containing the real-world identity of every person who writes software for Android."
Brave
"If it were to be put into effect, the developer registration decree will end the F-Droid project and other free/open source app distribution sources as we know them today."
F-Droid
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
Ютубери та творці контенту
"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
"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 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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"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
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."
The Linux Experiment – YouTube
"Google 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
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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 setting a requirement that only they can fulfill, forcing developers to go through Google and killing off thousands of apps. Countless users stranded."
Techlore – YouTube
"This 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
"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
"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
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"I'm not using the word 'phone.' I'm using the word 'computer.' This has over 8 GB of RAM, a terabyte of storage. It's a computer. And I'm also not going to be using words like 'sideload.' When you download an exe file onto your Windows computer, you've installed an application. You haven't 'sideloaded' something."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"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 already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."
Techlore – YouTube
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube
Розробники та спільнота
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."
renshijian, Hacker News
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"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
"Whatever Google is doing kind of scares me. We have a big DIY community of diabetics in Germany running tools like AndroidAPS that cannot ever be distributed through official channels."
pimeys (Type 1 diabetic, DIY medical software), Lobsters
"I want to deploy apps on my device. They are my apps, it's my device, and I should not be required to ask for permission to do so."
fsniper, Hacker News
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, 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
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"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
"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
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"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
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, 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
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"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
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, 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
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, 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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, 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
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, 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
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Don't beg. Don't get in a position that freedoms depend on the whims of a corporation or willingness of a government to regulate them. Build."
jzb, Lobsters
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"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
"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
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News
"We 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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"If 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
Думки авторів петиції
"It doesn't surprise me to hear that GOOGLE is going to do this. It's not about creating something that could possibly be of benefit anymore. The all mighty dollar has to raise it's ugly head now days or it's just not worth doing. "
Ralph, change.org
"This is crazy. Stop this madness. We pay for our devices and should have the right to install whatever software we like without verification. Keeping us safe with regulation is not the answer. Stop the madness and keep android open. "
Steven, change.org
"Nós vencemos Google idiota 😆😆😆😆😆 "
Bruno, change.org
"We want our freedom of speech "
Mohammed, change.org
"This is a violation of free speech and freedom of choice. We are not apple! "
Gearrard, change.org
"Keeping android open would be doing the right thing, if that is still the motto google believes in among hopefully not doing evil. I would hate to see the platform that prided itself on being open and lending itself to it's community of users and manufacturers, betray the very reason it built up the strong and varied ecosystem it is today. I would like strongly urge those in power of this decision to reconsider, not as a threat, but to see the something great, remain great. "
Kyle, change.org
"Penuit butter "
Dylan, change.org
"This is some dirty anti competitive google practice. One of the main reason why people choose android is it's freedom. I'd use a custom rom if my phone supported it(it's a galaxy a04e). Man, i like AOSP, and i really think way mkre people should be using android custom roms for privacy and freedom, because of companies like this, who want to create a monopoly. Android is a good OS, but the company who owns is garbage tbh. So, what i meant is, dont let them continue with those anti competitive practices, havent we had enough of google and big techs dirty practices? "
QByte, change.org
"This is absolute NUTS. I have some small apps I made that simply allow me to copy text to and from the clipboard to a central server I run, and I have programs on other OS's that can access it in a similar way. It's possibly THE most useful program I ever wrote in my life as I use it nearly every day. The idea that I have to pay to do the google dance just to run my own damn code is insane. Being able to run whatever software we like and access the file system is the whole point of android. Without that, we might as all just pay apple tax. "
Jonathan, change.org
"#DOWNWITHGOOGLE "
Monty, change.org
"the staple and main "selling" point of android is how open and free it is. Without that it's no different than any other os. This decision is completely asinine on Google's part. "
Thomas, change.org
"The entire reason I left the Apple ecosystem and came back to Android is because of the freedom you get with installing any app you want. If Google locks down app installations, there will be zero reason for me to still stay on an Android opereting system. Don't be evil, Google. "
Amirali, change.org
"Google, if you want to destroy freedom of choice while you are in a country that have mottos like 'Give me liberty or give me death', you are self destructing your company because people will abandon your operating systema and use other ones/new ones instead. Where we get our apps is none of your business. If you are dead set obsessed about tr king people, you shold have chosen another job instead of an internet company/email/OS, like the N.S, Hay. instead, would have saved you from self destructing your company. "
S., change.org
"it's crazy that they're doing this . It was the only reason i chose "google" android in the 1st place, because of it's semi open nature "
jamie, change.org
"Google needs to stop monopolizing Android access "
Allen, change.org
"i liked playing gta sa on my droid dont ruin some kids childhood "
Husam, 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
"Don't let Google shut down Android, let your voice be heard! "
Gustavo, 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
"Android was once the pinacle of freedom, not letting that stay in the past "
Juan, change.org
"How Google came about to be the say all of android is probably by phone users lazyness to learn or try other Interfaces then the default paid preinstalled apps.. "
Chris, change.org
"If Android is closed off & no longer my phone as was the promise of Android, it will be the last Android anything I will purchase.. "
Michael, change.org
"Android already provides security tools — Play Protect, install warnings, and permissions. These are the right solutions. A blanket lockdown is not security; it is control! "
Alex, change.org
"Android's open-source roots NEED to be worth fighting for. When Google released Android under the Apache License in 2007, it was a revolutionary move which allowed manufacturers, developers, and tinkerers worldwide to build on top of it freely. That openness is literally WHY Android became the dominant mobile OS, powering over 70% of the world's smartphones today. The ability to side-load APKs (install apps outside the Play Store) has been a cornerstone of that openness. It's what allows: • Independent developers to distribute apps without paying Google's 30% cut. • Users in regions where the Play Store is restricted to still access software. • Open-source app stores like F-Droid to thrive. • Researchers and security professionals to test and audit applications. • Enthusiast communities to keep older devices alive with custom ROMs which ALSO REDUCES GLOBAL E-WASTE. Compare this to iOS, where Apple has historically locked down side-loading entirely and ask yourself this important question, do we want Android to go down that same path? Restricting APK usage doesn't make users safer it just consolidates Google's control over what software you're allowed to run on hardware YOU purchased & own. The history of computing shows us that open platforms drive innovation, closed ones drive profits for gatekeepers. Android was built on the iconic Linux platform, a global community project. Let's not let that legacy be quietly dismantled in the name of "security". Android was built to be OPEN and its name says it all, ANDROID OPEN SOURCE PROJECT. "
Peter, 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
"This is the only reason android is better than android "
David, change.org
"I like Android because it feels like a computer. I can administrate my own files, download niche little hobby projects made freely by others off of GitHub. I don't want it to become a walled corporate garden like iOS. If it does, well, might as well switch to the higher-quality walled garden, huh? No point in using a droid anymore. "
Maxima, change.org
"I switched to Android for freedom, not being locked down like Apple!!! There's no point in using Android anymore if they start making it exactly like iOS. Please don't limit the usage of APKs google! "
Nathaniel, change.org
"If you buy a computer, you rightly expect to be able any software, developed by anyone, one that device. Why should phones be any different? This is a shameless power grab by google, and a huge step backwards for user's rights "
Christopher, change.org
"I'll repeat what I have seen many other say. It's not "sideloading", it's installing. It's not "making sure you only get what we know is good", it's a digital company town. We already pay for every aspect of our time on this earth. The fact that they want to make it so you can't go anywhere but them? It's a giant flashing LED sign that says monopoly. And I say to not let it happen, for privacy, for ownership, for the right to do what we want with the stuff we buy. "
Benjamin, change.org
"I've received pornographic viruses from puzzle games from the Google Play store. Google should remember why people go Android; Apple has locked down their systems to make them unbearable. Android gave freedom. If they lock it down, we'll use something else. I'm looking forward to a dumb phone and a physical camera...no annoying social media there. Or Google holding your money for you. Google offers nothing I need to use except an email, and last I checked, anyone offers those. The programs I love can be accessed on both Android AND PC...guess which I'll be shifting to! "
Kay, change.org
"Being an "approved developer" is such a stupid word. Android was known for the freedom of developers and now we are being silenced. "
Kash, change.org
"Keep the Android Open Source Project... Open Source "
Raymond, change.org
"I do not agree with Google's decision to limit my personal choices about the device I paid for. I bought my phone under the impression I was allowed to use whatever software I choose, but with these restrictions, I feel betrayed and used. I may as well stop using Android phones if it's just going to be another Apple. "
Sabrina, 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
"Wasn't the whole point of android the freedom to do anything you wanted because it wasn't a locked down system? "
snot, change.org
"Google is making this change for control not for security. these changes will give Google sole control over who can create apps for their platform and by extension it means they have complete control over what apps are allowed. In short this is censorship. "
Drake, change.org
"How many of the rights of the people will be taken away? This is ridiculous. If given the choice between security and freedom and privacy, I'll take freedom and privacy 100% of the time. I'm sick of this kind of stuff. "
Deagan Euras, change.org
"Sideloading? I call it installing! We own these phones, not you! The reason we buy Android is not simply the 'AI Features', but because it isn't as dystopian as iOS. Android has been about giving the user the choice on what apps they personally want, and to customize what they prefer. Google has been slowly taking it away from us, and they can't do this anymore! This is the final straw! "
William, change.org
"As a user who has used the Android operating system for several years, this seems quite unfair to app developers who rely on third-party distribution channels, supposedly to "unify" the system and make it "more secure." But it simply eliminates the way third parties who aren't in the Apple App Store can distribute apps; this applies to emulators I can use on Android and apps that aren't available in the App Store. Besides eliminating the freedom they boasted about Apple, they want to implement this business model, which affects app developers' privacy (and it's clear that UK laws are having a significant impact). "
juan pablo, change.org
"I am from Brazil, and having an android closed here makes it impossible for Brazilians, who in our situation, most people cannot have an economic situation that can have video games, PCs to enjoy the culture, with emulators, we can have access to this, even with simpler cell phones, because here even the simplest cell phone, it costs almost 1 minimum wage, I wanted to leave my support so that we can change this bad future "
Icaro, change.org
"This issue would directly negatively effect my day to day usage of my android phone, concerns of this issue have resulted in me installing GrapheneOS on my phone to avoid this potentially becoming a reality. "
Kyler, change.org
"The differentiating factor with Android was always freedom. Apple had a locked down market and their own thing over there, meanwhile Android was open. I don't want to give up my tech sovereignty so a corrupt multinational conglomerate can harvest my data and shove more useless bloatware onto hardware I own, all while forcing mass surveillance. "
Michael, change.org
"As a long-time Android user and small-scale app developer, I'm deeply concerned about the recent moves to restrict app sideloading. Choice has always been the core strength of Android—it's what set it apart as an open operating system. Forcing users to become "approved developers" just to build and install personal apps is impractical and unnecessary; I simply don't have the time or interest in jumping through those hoops. This shift feels like the start of broader censorship and monopolization, transforming Android into little more than a reskinned version of iOS. We chose Android for its freedom, not for anti-consumer restrictions that claim to "protect" us but really just limit our options. Existing tools like Knox and Play Integrity are already intrusive enough—now even downloading from trusted alternatives like F-Droid or other third-party stores might face scrutiny? This erodes the open spirit that defined Android from the beginning. Users deserve the right to create, modify, and install apps without sacrificing anonymity or control. It's our responsibility to educate ourselves on risks, not for big tech like Google (or GAFAM) to dictate terms. Android's appeal has always been its flexibility: I've sideloaded niche apps from lone developers for unique tasks, like custom music players and compass tools from F-Droid. I've even installed modded versions of stock apps, such as a camera tweak that added Google Pixel's Photosphere to my device—something impossible without sideloading. There's no need for Android to head in this restrictive direction; it risks becoming a "mock iOS," stripping away the very reasons people like me chose it. Let's restore customization, user freedom, and innovation to the heart of Android. Please, reconsider this path—it's not protection; it's control. "
Mike, change.org
"Hey Google, remember what you said? "Be together, not the same." "
Christopher, change.org
"is the monopoly finally going to end? "
Rafael, change.org
"Freedom requires the ability for us to harm ourselves if we so choose. We own the devices we buy and should not be required to only go through people Google allows. This is an unacceptable policy when it's my device. "
Matthew, 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 an evil, evil man, I despise google because they are worse. Thus, I of then times look at this website and sign all the petitions against google. Amen brother man "
David, change.org
"If this is Android's future then it's time for Linux phones! My device my rules. "
Juan Antonio, change.org
"I will switch to iOS and get rid of my android devices and Google home setup if this policy is implemented. I use android because it is open. If Google makes it an inferior version of the iPhone then I will switch over to iPhone. "
Scott, change.org
"Android has always been the superior product because it has allowed it's users the ability to customize their phones and download what they want. To take that away would make you no better than Apple "
Mike, change.org
"Really hurting developers with this move. I implore those that are have good conscience left at google to re-evaluate. "
Calvin, change.org
"I think this a terrible thing since what if you're trying to create your own project app but with this you wont be able to create your own app easily with no problem for your own personal self "
Angel, change.org
"As someone who has recenlty been looking into privacy. I hope we can limit big corporations hold on our personal lives. "
Ronald, change.org
"As a consumer, I bought and use Android platform devices because I care about my privacy and I care about accessing third-party applications that are not strictly on Google's Play Store. I utilize F-Droid and various other third-party app stores, and this would be a major impediment to me. I did not agree to Google pulling the rug from beneath me well after I bought several thousand dollar Android phones and devices. "
Stephen, change.org
"As someone who believes in freedom and not being controlled by the big tech companies, we need Google to reverse this decision, otherwise, I'll just switch to a Linux phone. "
Carter, change.org
"Locking the bootloader is bad. Preventing side loading is bad. If I buy a device, I want to use it as I like. That is the whole reason I've stuck on ith Android in the first place. Guess those days are gone. "
Joseph, change.org
"Android is about freedom and choice, if I wanted a knock off I-Phone, I would just buy a knock off I-Phone from Temu. These kinds of changes are how you end up with more people steering away from your device, and going towards devices that give people their individual freedoms back. "
Xavier, change.org
"The whole reason I use an Android based device is for the freedom that comes with the phone. If I wanted to be governed by my cellphone manufacturer I would use an iPhone. "
Zachary, change.org
"I have found great use of android APKs. Because of them I can run comunity devoulped apps like Winalator, a Wine wraper for android, allows me to play windows games on my phone. Theres also PhoneVR, a free and open source app allowing me and many others to rededicate old phones into capable VR headsets, for free! I also get to play old games like Asphalt 8 retry, a mod that fixes alot of the pay-to-win gripes of Asphalt 8's current form. Same goes for Bad Piggies reborn, a free comunity mod adding loads of content and improvments to the origonal game! Not to mention open source app stores like FDroid. By locking down android, your losing support from people like me. Do you really want to kill the reason android is great? Just for a few dollars more? Are you going to just dismiss the people that made you great? We're not just numbers on a spread sheet you know, we're people too. We don't need protected by governments and companys. All that does is remove freedom, dehummanize people, and make people who cant think for themselfs. Whats next? Burning books? In the direction we're heading, we're not far from becoming the socity in Ferenheight 451. "
George, change.org
"I refuse to be locked into only the play store. I need to be able to use f-droid and or install my own apk files as I will. It's my comptuer! "
Tom, change.org
"Google always voiced themselves as the "Open Platform" in direct competition with Apple. With the lockdown happening, there is no more competition. It's either "isolated OS" or "fellow isolated OS". In today's day and age, especially, the people value and are drawn to the ability to make their own choices without the difficulties and frustrations of being restricted and banned from doing something. It's *why* so many people switched to Android/ Google devices, and *why* so many Android/Google users *refuse* to use Apple products. The lockdown is just creating another Apple under a different company. "
Amelia, change.org
"Users own their devices and should be able to install software they choose on them. "
Paul, change.org
"WHAT GOOGLE IS DOING WITH ANDROID IS A BIG SCAM AND WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. LET'S ADVANCE THIS PETITION MORE AND MORE UNTIL THEY GIVE UP ON THIS IDEA. SHARE THIS PETITION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND DONATE MONEY SO THAT MORE AND MORE ANDROID USERS SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS CASE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING!!!!! "
Matheus, change.org
"It's crucial for Google to recognize that the strength of the Android ecosystem lies in its openness and diversity. Many users are increasingly concerned about privacy and surveillance, which is driving a preference for simpler, "dumb" phones. By maintaining an open ecosystem, Google can cater to this demographic that values freedom and autonomy over constant connectivity and data collection. An open Android ecosystem not only fosters innovation and creativity but also empowers users to choose devices that align with their values. It allows manufacturers to build secure, privacy-centric alternatives without being bogged down by restrictive policies. This encourages a healthier competition, where privacy-focused options can thrive alongside mainstream offerings. Additionally, embracing a more privacy-oriented approach can enhance Google's reputation. Users are now more mindful of where their data goes and how it’s used. By championing user choice and privacy, Google can position itself as a leader in ethical tech, attracting users who wish to escape the surveillance machine. Maintaining an open system isn't just about freedom for developers; it's about respecting the desires and needs of a significant portion of the population that prioritizes privacy. By supporting this diverse landscape, Google can build trust, loyalty, and ultimately, a better future for all users. "
Taylor, change.org
"Been using the android platform since 2009. Removing the ability to use MY device in the way it was always intended is disgusting. I won't stand for any of that hogwash. "
Kurt, change.org
"There is always the "security" claim, they got so many security tools already, built in the official app distribution, if the user want to experiment on the device they own they must have the freedom to do so, this is how tech should work, freedom is how tech progress "
Roberto, change.org
"This would destroy a lot of unknown developers and other people who make great apps. "
Aidan, change.org
"Android phones letting me control my apps in my way is why I love and stick with Android. I can't support upstart developers without our current APK framework. A future without one of the lead reasons I own an Android phone, is a future where I just stop owning a phone. "
Kyle, change.org
"Products should be made to give the consumer control of the product they purchase. They should not be used for the corporation that manufactured the product to control the consumer use of that product or what the consumer has access to. This is a form of controlled speech and is a violation of the first amendment of the United States of America. "
Mitch, change.org
"Take away the freedom of Android, and you'll lose the majority of your userbase. Seems like a smart move! "
Evan, change.org
"Sick and tired of Google's garbage. "
Gabriel, change.org
"This is a thinly veiled attempt by Alphabet towards an easier monopoly on apps and the more restrictive economy that Apple has on its own software economy. This uncompetitive and restrictive behavior is directly harmful to both consumers and developers, not in the least to mention freedom and privacy overall as well. "
Emily, change.org
"It's a limiting choice for users and software engineers and it will depreciate Google's platform. "
Jonathan, change.org
"Having moved to the Google platform due to limitations on Apple devices, it would be a huge shame to see this implemented. "
Christo, change.org
"In the past, Google claimed to be "good" with its "don't be evil" slogan. That time has passed. Now we need to fight against these clearly evil policies. Join this cause! "
Cristiano, change.org
"Keep android free. "
Jansen, change.org
"As an average user, this policy just feels awfully abusive. I have always had the mindset that if a device is yours, it should be you who gets to decide what's put in it, and to see Google make such a constraining change and directly cause so much harm to all Android users' freedom and specially small creators capacity to be a part of the community and to CREATE just deeply revolts me. The freedom and the customization of Android is what has always made me use it in the first place, if we can't even have THAT then what even is the point anyways?! "
Kris, change.org
"I really like the ability to "sideload" apps on android. Android's customization capabilities is one of it's most likable features. APK files are cool. They are the reason why my phone looks so pretty. Please continue to allow this option as I think it will be beneficial to Google, instead of forcing 3rd party developers from abandoning the platform to monotonous hegemony like that of the Apple iPhone OS store. Google building upon the open source code designed by Linus is cool and allows for input from various individuals which help inevitably make the google play store more beautiful and lively. Customization is cool. Please continue to allow APK file usage. "
Paul, change.org
"This decision breaks the promise of Android. By forcing verification, Google puts barriers to entry, and more importantly, introduces conflicts of interests in the app installation process. There must be an option to opt out of this. Every open source app would need to establish a legal entity to be installed on Android. Developers would be blocked for circumventing limitations that eat into Google's revenue but which aren't inherently illegal or against the ToS (i.e. personal archiving of YouTube videos). This could spell not only the end of Android but also personal computing under our own control. "
Kevin, change.org
"Digital freedom matters! "
Koda, change.org
"Keep Android open. These changes will hurt accessibility for users, like myself, who rely on open source assistive tools, and should be optional. "
D, change.org
"I moved from iOS to Android, to get back the freedom of using my phone according to my wishes. I have a lot of friends who did too. We all condemn this attempt by Google to enshittify Android. Protection and imposition are not the same. Google, don't be evil. "
Max, change.org
"I believe increasingly closed ecosystems lend not only to the monopolization of tech but are a threat to the digital sovereignty of individuals worldwide making them susceptible to government and corporate surveillance. "
Adrian, change.org
"Sim ao Android "
Cristina, change.org
"The ability to download and install APK's from any source is a choice that should not be taken from users. It's the whole reason Android OS is successful now. Taking away choice will drive users to seek out other software solutions. Keeping Android Open is important to stop corporate overeach, unnecessary tracking and selling of user data, and keeping software available and fair. "
Christopher, change.org
"Keep android open to all developers. If this goes into effect I'm done with offial android. I don't care what devices I have to use moving forward but it will not be android devices. "
david, change.org
"Google is a monopoly at this point, break it up. "
Barton, change.org
"We need to keep Android open! "
Caleb, change.org
"I don't want some mega corporation to tell me what code I can and cannot run on my own phone. The AI BS they're pushing is bad enough, this is even worse. "
Jackie, change.org
"When I purchased my Android product, it was with the understanding that I could use it how I pleased. This doesn't make anything better, they are doing this in a bid to control what their consumers are able to access. It is predatory and they must be held accountable. "
Phillip, change.org
"Don't take away my ability to do what I want with my stuff. I payed for my device and it's mine to do what I want with. It's my responsibility to not damage my property. "
Peter, change.org
"We can't back down "
Victor Vitienzo, change.org
"Android is freedom. Plain and simple. Android let's us the users decide what we want to do with our devices. I have only ever used android because it is open and free. "
Drew, change.org
"We are going to bit this none sense of freak Control of the Mass. "
Gilbert, change.org
"the whole point of android is that it is open. i want to OWN and have actual control over my device. google's decision takes that out. It's cruel and straightup dystopian how it is forcing users to just comply; thus having you not actually "own" the device. we want to freely choose what we have on our own devices, and it's quite blatant the "protection from risks" is only a smokescreen to censor and ... ruin android's biggest redeeming quality. this is a horrible choice "
r.w., change.org
"The end for digital freedom is already nearing, with all the new social media and age verification laws. The whole point of a computer is to store and process data, allowing you to do various tasks. You should be able to use a device without having to verify 50 million things and give up your identity, it's all just an excuse for the government to track you, create more censorship, and for the companies to sell more of your data. Android is an open mobile operating system, and it should stay that way. One of the main reasons I strongly prefer Android over iOS is how open Android is. This action Google is doing will not protect anything or anyone, it will just cause more drama. "
Angus, change.org
"The main reason I've always preferred android over apple is the freedom of app development and usage. What's the point of using an android phone when I have to rely on an app store that limits what's available? This decision is gonna affect an already undesirable Google "
Mychal, change.org
"I ought to have the right to install any program I'd like on my computer without google acting as gatekeeper. F-droid's Foss nature makes it more trustworthy than the play store has ever been. "
Cris, change.org
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