Zure mugikorrak zurea izateari utziko dio.
2027tik* hasita, Google-ek bultzatutako baimenik gabeko eguneraketa isil batek, Google-ekin izena eman, beraien kontratua sinatu eta ordaindu ez duten garatzaileen Android aplikazio guztiak blokeatuko ditu.
Aplikazio guztiak eta gailu guztiak, mundu osoan zehar, bazterketarik gabe.
↓Zer ari den Google egiten
2025eko abustuan, Google-ek irizpide berri bat adierazi zuen: 2027tik hasita, Android aplikazioen garatzaile guztiek Googlekin izena emanda egon behar dira beraien softwarea edozein gailuetan instalatu ahal izan aurretik. Ez bakarrik Play Store-eko aplikazioak: aplikazio guztiak. Hau, lagunen artean partekatutako aplikazioak, F-Droid bidez banatutakoak, afizionatuek erabilera pertsonalerako egindakoak barneratzen ditu. Garatzaile independenteak, talde komunitarioak eta afizionatuak beraien softwarea garatzeko eta banatzeko aukeratik ukatuak izango dira.
Izena emateako irizpideak:
- Google-i kuota bat oraintzea
- Google-en zehaztapen eta baldintzak onartzea
- Zure Nortasun Agiri Nazionala ematea
- Zure sinatzeko klabe pribatua egiaztatzeko probak ematea
- Aplikazioaren oraingo eta etorkizuneko identifikatzaile guztiak zerrendatzea
Garatzaile batek ez badu betetzen, bere aplikazio guztiak isilean blokeatzen dira Android gailu guztietan mundu osoan zehar.
Nor da kaltetua
Zu
Zuk erosi duzu Android mugikor bat Google-ek irekia zela esan zizulako. Zuk nahi zenuena instalatu ahal zenuen, hori zen akordioa.
Orain Google-ek akordio hori berridazten ari da, atzeraeraginezko izaerarekin, dagoeneko jabe zaren hardwarean. Behin eguneraketa heldu dela, Google-ek onartutako sofwarea bakarrik exekutatu ahalko duzu. Zure mugikorrean: zure jabetzakoa, zuk ordaindu duzuna.
Garatzaile independenteak
Nerabe baten lehenengo aplikazioa, boluntario baten priatutasunerako tresna, edo konpainia baten ezkutuko beta bertsioa. Ez du azola. 2027an, ezingo da hauetako batere ez instalatu Google-en onespenik gabe.
F-Droid, milaka kode aske eta irekiko aplikazioen etxea dena, mehatxu "existentziala" deitu du. Cory Doctorow-ek "Darth Android" deitzen du.
Gobernuak eta gizarte zibila
Google-ek erregimen autoritarioek egindako aplikazioen ezabaketa eskaerak betetzeko dokumentatuta dagoen historia bat dauka. Programa honekin, zure herrialdearen instituzioetan erabiltzen den softwarea erantzunkizun gabeko atzerritarreko enpresa bakar baten mesetara existituko da.
EFF-k dio aplikazioen gaineko kontrol hau "internetaren zentsurara amaierarik gabe hedatzen den bidea" dela.
Google-en "ihesbidea" iruzur bat da
Google-ek dio "erabiltzaile aurreratuek" egiaztatu gabeko aplikazioak "instalatzen jarraitu" dezaketela. Hona hemen nola den hau benetan:
- Ezarpenetan arakatu, Gailuari Buruzko Informazioa topatu
- Konpilazio-zenbakia zazpi aldiz sakatu Garatzaileentzako Aukerak aktibatzeko
- Behartzeari buruzko beldurtzeko pantailak baztertu
- Zure PIN zenbakia sartu
- Gailua berbiarazi
- 24 ordu itxaron
- Bueltatu, beldurtzeko pantaila gehiago baztertu
- Aukeratu "aldi baterako baimendu" (7 egun) edo "behin betiko onartu"
- Konfirmatu, berriz, "arriskuak" ulertzen dituzula
Bederatzi pauso. 24 orduko derrigorrezko hozte aldia. Zu jabe zaren gailu batean softwarea instalatzeko.
Oraindik eta okerrago: Prozesu honek Google Play Services-en zehar gertatzen da erabat, ez Android sistema eragilean. Google-ek aldatu dezake, areagotu dezake, edo edozein momentutan deseuztatu dezake. Gaurkoz, ez du ez betarik, ez aurrerapenik, ez proba bertsioarik igorri. Blog-post bat eta maketa batzuk bezala baino ez da existitzen.
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.
- Talk other developers and organizations out of signing up.
- Add the FreeDroidWarn library to your apps to warn users.
- Run a website? Add the countdown banner.
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
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
April april.org
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
FACiL facil.qc.ca
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
GitHub Store github-store.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
F-Droid f-droid.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
CryptPad cryptpad.org
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
iodé iode.tech
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
FUTO futo.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Cryptee crypt.ee
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Techlore techlore.tech
Proton AG proton.me
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
Data Rights datarights.ngo
Brave brave.com
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu What they're saying
Tech press
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"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
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"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's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"'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
"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 Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
Editorials & analysis
"Google has announced what can only be described as a death blow to the open ecosystem that made Android. Under the guise of 'security,' Google is implementing draconian developer verification requirements."
AndroidSage
"The $25 isn't the real cost. The chilling effect is. Submitting government ID to Google is a non-starter for pseudonymous contributors and privacy researchers."
Arafat Alim, DEV Community
"Google is turning sideloading from a right into a permission slip, and the open-source community has until September to convince it otherwise."
Reclaim The Net
"Google'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
"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
"Google's attempts to make Android 'more secure' are, in fact, increasing the risk for Android users. The more friction you introduce in the name of security, the more likely users will attempt to bypass security completely."
Ken Buckler, Enterprise Management Associates
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours. Google decides which apps are allowed to be loaded on Android and which are not."
Tuta Blog
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"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
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub
"Google has announced that they are altering the deal. And telling us that we should pray that they don't alter it further. Block this policy change now before they wrap their cold metal hands around our necks."
Jesse Wilson, PublicObject.com
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"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
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"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
"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
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"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
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"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's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud 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
"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
Organizations & open letters
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
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
"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."
AdGuard
"Google'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
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"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
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"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
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."
Brave
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"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
"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
"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
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
YouTubers & creators
"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
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."
Techlore – YouTube
"Google isn't testing this in the US or Europe first. They're starting in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Why? Because these are massive growth markets where regulation is weaker. By the time regulators catch up, the damage will already be done."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"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
"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
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"Google is doing to Android what Microsoft once tried to do to the web. Embrace, extend, extinguish. Just wrapped in a shinier open-source package."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"I'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 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
"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
"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
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
"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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."
Techlore – YouTube
Developers & community
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, 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
"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
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"Computing is infrastructure. Personal computers are a means of expressing agency. This is like banning people from moving furniture around their house without approval from mortgage lenders."
wervenyt, Tildes
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"I buy a device with my own money, which I supposedly then own, but then I need to ask some corporation permission to use it."
askonomm, Hacker News
"Google 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
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, 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
"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
"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
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News
"I teach digital literacy and 99% of unsavory software I encounter on people's phones come from the Play Store or App Store. I will believe they're serious about protecting users when I see them do something about the crap ton of borderline scam apps infesting their stores."
1995ToyotaCorolla, Lemmy
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"It is a disgrace how Google has managed this situation. The promised 'advanced flow' hasn't appeared in any Android 16 or 17 betas. Google is quietly proceeding with the original lockdown."
fermigier, Hacker News
"Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won't give you a key, they're not doing it for your benefit."
vord (quoting Cory Doctorow), Tildes
"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
"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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), 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
"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
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, 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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, 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
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News
Voices from the petition
"I can't let them have this. This world and especially these last years, tech companies think they can fully control you, utilized you, abuse you. Pls let this be one win for us "
Isaac, change.org
"I like an open source because we're not stuck to when we might not. It about prefence. I have never used iOS but this might change my mind. I will look for an alternative to android if this takes place. "
Leoncio, change.org
"the only reason Android shines is it's customizabe especially app installation. please don't ruin yourself "
John, change.org
"Stop taking away our rights we bought the device we should be allowed sideload or (install) onto our devices without google stealing every ounce of data and our privacy. "
Michael, 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 regular user of APKs, I think this system is so much important for us, bc we need this. GOOGLE DON'T BAN APK "
Alison, 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
"Google is stupid and annoying and I hate them let me do what I want with my phone or imma just use grapheneOS "
David, change.org
"Open source is not a trivial matter for the regular user of technology nowadays. However, its importance should be taken seriously if we want a future where we will (still?) have access and some level of control over the technology we are too deeply dependent on for our daily activities. It is not necessary that everybody learn how to program smartphone or computer applications! But it is necessary that everybody know that it is important that big tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Meta, and (in this specific case) Google don't close these doors. Be it for their customers or others trying to figure out what they're doing with our personal information. "
Ricardo, change.org
"I prefer Andriod because of the freedom to install applications from web and altrenative stores other than Play Store. I've lots of apps that I use on daily basis which were downloaded from F-driod and web. Side loading applications is what makes Andriod better than iOS. Don't take away feature that which makes Andriod Cool and Amazing. "
Zupher, change.org
"Android should be free; it was supposed to be the hero of free or open-source applications. "
Alan, change.org
"This will be removing the rights of citizens and adding authoritarian restraint via our private communication devices whilst calling it a feature. I do not use Google. I use Android. Soon I will be forced to use neither. "
Ryan, change.org
"I want Android to remain an open operating system and platform. "
Eric, change.org
"The whole point of Android is that we had a choice and a powerful environment to create and use apps. This was the one feature that allowed Android to grow in the beginning and has sustained that growth since to become the most dominate phone OS in the world. People left Apple for Android. This is nothing but a cash grab and to lock people in their walled garden. Very anti-consumer. "
Joe, change.org
"Nós vencemos Google idiota 😆😆😆😆😆 "
Bruno, 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
"My main reason for not using Apple devices is the 'mommy' factor. Now Google is going to be my mommy too. It's my device. If I accept the risks involved in how I use it, that's my choice - NOT GOOGLE'S! "
Ed, change.org
"I bought a andropd because I wanted to have a free open and custom misable experience and now Google is taking that away from us I would rather pay for an iPhone no considering the fact to Google is doing this "
Carter, change.org
"Screw that! "
Thierry, change.org
"If this is implemented I will be abandoning the Google sphere and moving my data over to Apple. I have already signed up for an Apple ID and I am good to go if/when this happens. I will drop android and all associated subscriptions and spend my money at Apple. Goodbye Google. It was a good run 2009 to 2026. "
Scott, change.org
"Save privacy and security "
Pepe, change.org
"This will be the end of the android power user base, and will likely completely fracture things as open source os developers will be forced to do a complete fork. "
Matt, change.org
"Third party apps make my phone so much more functional and versatile for my own personal needs. It's why I choose Android over Apple. Giving less options to all of us will only make the user experience worse for everyone. "
Jorri, 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
"There is no point to using android if apks are restricted. If I wanted a phone to tell me what i can and can't do, I would get an apple, because at least I get better security and UI there. The android operating system is being stripped of everything that gives you control over your own device. If apks were restricted, I would completely degoogle my life. Big brother is watching you. "
Ben, change.org
"If google makes this change i will find any alternative OS and switch to that. "
Ron, change.org
"The people will ask if they feel they need to be represented. "
Catherine, change.org
"google, it is not your job to parent any user on what they wish to do with the items they purchase. No one wants your control and no one asked. "
Kyi, change.org
"I'm only using android for apk's otherwise I would be using IOS/iPhone, Also without apk's there would be no reason to keep updates going for certain developers, we would be losing one of the things that makes android what it is, That is my opinion on this whole idea from google "
JaCureon, change.org
"I find this measure deeply concerning. When I choose to buy an phone, it is with the expectation of having control over how I use it. A company should not decide how I use my devices. "
Abdoul, change.org
"I switched to android specifically because I felt like it was truly a device I OWNED. I used Apple in the past but hated the amount of features that were gate kept. Having the ability to download open source apps on my android device has reshaped the way I use my phone and has made my workflows significantly better. This new change will not only completely destroy the open source ecosystem I've become accustomed to, but will actively turn away myself, and Android's main user base. What's the point of ruining your reputation and the only real reason to own an android device? "
Steven, change.org
"I care about digital freedom because the digital world should have the same freedoms as the real world. "
Anabel, change.org
"This is going to kill Android "
Hazel, change.org
"This change is disastrous for both the privacy of developers and the general health of the open source software community for android. Keep Android Open!! Let us install what we want, without asking for your permission. "
Thomas, change.org
"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
"I have Android phones for just one reason: The freedom they provided so far. Some of my main apps are side-loaded. This move of Google is a huge disappointment. It’s a terrible abuse of monopoly power. "
Andreas, change.org
"This new directive from GOOGLE is clearly an anti-consumer practice so the users would have even less control of their devices, so they can prevent people from installing better and free alternatives, all being done under the false intention of "making android more secure", as if the play store isn't riddled with malware or scams "
Olivia, change.org
"Please STOP being evil Google-u promised it once but obviously those words were hollow & meaningless so just stop it. "
Steven, change.org
"You, the consumer, purchased your Android device believing in Google’s promise that it was an open computing platform and that you could run whatever software you choose on it. Instead, as of September 2026, they will be non-consensually pushing an update to your operating system that irrevocably blocks this right and leaves you at the mercy of their judgement over what software you are permitted to trust. "
shark, change.org
"I use android to *avoid* closed environments and allow for more freedom in what I can do. Don't remove freedom of choice, you damn cowards! "
Douglas, change.org
"Open source projects are important for not just developers, but users too. Any attempt to close android would be bad for people who want to switch to secure alternatives like graphene or lineage, but also bad for android too, as it strips community development and comments which helps improve the OS. "
Nathan, change.org
"One of the main reasons I use Android is the ability to sideload applications—downloading APKs from trusted third-party developers. Now Google wants to limit that? Please don’t leave Android alone and don't take away the freedom it was built on. "
Suyaib, change.org
"I use android because its easy to mod and customize. If I own the device, I want complete control of it. That comes with the understanding that my modifications could break it . If we lose sideloading and indie and open source development, we'll just have to stray further from the platform to find it again. In a world where the easy to access services and products are becoming increasingly controlled and locked down to the detriment of the consumer, there's real benefit to be had in being one of the few exceptions. "
Cole, change.org
"가장 큰 강점을 내다버리는 행위이다. 인증을 핑계로 얼마나 많은 컨텐츠들이 접근 불가능해질지 생각하면 크게 걱정이다. "
CH, change.org
"Without users being able yo choose where they get their apps from, smartphones will be a completely locked down means of computing. It does not protect the average user's data, it just makes it so that only the people that Google says can harvest and sell are doing it. They aren't going to vet those people, they're just going to collect their entry fee. "
Nick, change.org
"Google needs to STOP! Taking away MY Right to choose what apps I will or won't use is completely UNACCEPTABLE and ILLEGAL! Freedom of Choice has always been a hallmark of the Android lifestyle. Unlike Apple's closed-box system, Android's relatively open nature gives me the ability to choose FOSS apps over paid closed-source apps, saving me both money AND the lost sleep over repeated worries about tracking, ads and spyware in the apps I regularly use. Google's recent decision to lock the system down and force devs to pay huge "membership" fees, surrender ALL their rights under a TOS that is AGAINST them developing without providing the ID and private signature keys and listing any application IDs they have. If this isn't the behavior of a monopoly, than please define to me what is?! "
Stephen, change.org
"We don’t want Android to be the next IOS —— the well known Anti-GNU softwares. Protection is a cover, Operation of False Flag should not and would not be able to succeed. "
Danny, change.org
"We choose Android because it's open and free. "
Flora, change.org
"1 federal lawsuit wasn't enough? Why after all that's happened, being convicted for monopoly must Google feel the need to throw "
Zach, change.org
"I signed this petition because Google is slowly turning Android into a locked down version of iOS and it's really frustrating. I bought my phone, it's my property, yet every few months they add more restrictions on APKs, more warnings, more blocks that make it annoying or impossible to install apps from outside the Play Store. Sideloading is something separate that I also want to keep fully open and easy. This isn't about security anymore it's about control and forcing everyone into their ecosystem so they can monitor and profit from everything we do. I want the freedom to install what I want on my own device without Google acting like a parent who doesn't trust me. Developers and power users especially need this ability, and regular users deserve the choice too. If we don't push back now, soon we'll have no real alternatives left and Android will lose what made it special in the first place. Please sign and share if you value your device freedom. "
Christopher, change.org
"What Google wants to do is simply inhumane, simply unacceptable for those who use our beloved Android. "
Althe, change.org
"I grew up on Android devices, and I find it saddening that Google is making this decision. It’s clearly not for the security reasons they claim; it's about control. "
Gabriel, change.org
"Don't trust billionare companies, they want to take away our choice! "
Hugo, change.org
"I bought my first Android phone around 2010 era, the Sony Xperia X8 for $160CAD on NewEgg SIM unlocked and I've been hooked on this type of freedom ever since. Flexxing on these iPhone scrubs in high school with my fancy custom rom(CyanogenMod, now known as LineageOS), is where it all started. Just a few days ago, I flashed the newest LineageOS for my device(April 8th, 2026). I don't know where I was going with this, probably to give you some insight on my experience. But it'll be a sad day if Google decides to take away sideloading, so let's try to stop it from happening. Doing my part and signing this petition. "
John, change.org
"This is the only reason android is better than android "
David, change.org
"Because we have no more free OS like android, so keep android open is very important, imo "
DeVaughn, change.org
"We need to continue to have options on the android platform. Once censorship begins where does it end. Developers need to have freedom and not be oppressed by greed. Side-loading is what makes ANDROID if that is taken, what makes Android unique it’s just like IOS a walled garden. "
Edgar, change.org
"No reason to own a google device if I am limited in what I can do with it. "
Salvatore, change.org
"Keep Android Free and Open! Locking down Android isn't about safety it's about control and censorship! "
Donald, change.org
"This is like Linux changing into Windows "
A., change.org
"Android has always been shown as an open platform, made for the users to freely develop and share software for it. This change however, goes completely against this picture shown to us and also goes against the freedom and privacy of any developer that still wishes to continue having their work running on the platform; This change isn't safe for anyone but for those that want control of what we do and what we think. "
Jazmin, change.org
"I have always preferred Android phones over Apple phones, just for the freedom that Android gave to download applications without having to limit and control you all the time, but now Android wants to become an APPLE 2.0, if that happens I will throw away my Android phone and directly buy an iPhone, if it is going to have restrictions too, all bad Android 👎 "
Mauricio, change.org
"If I wanted to have my apps controlled by a mega corporation, I would have gotten an iPhone "
Eric, change.org
"Bribed their way outta the consequences for being an evil monopoly. Corporations behave kinda like sociopaths, but sociopaths atleast pretend not to be evil. When Google removed their motto "Don't be evil", they went from evil, to cartoonishly evil. When 300 million people realize 3 people have half of the money, half of the money in 'merica wont be eneough to save them. "
Jason, change.org
"One of the things that makes Android special is the freedom it gives developers and users, I hope it doesn't go away. "
Chris, change.org
"Android OS IS and SHOULD STAY “my device, my rules,” not “Google’s walled garden with extra steps.” Locking down sideloading and making people become “approved developers” is not safety, it’s control. - F!@# Off -- You control everything else Google .. Leave Android alone! You’re stripping away the one thing that made Android different from Apple, and calling it protection doesn’t make it less anti‑consumer. -- You're just masking it as control in pretty language !! Leave it alone! "
Jon, change.org
"This is the only reason I've bought android phones all my life, if this passes then I'll either install custom software to avoid it or I'll find an alternative device and stop supporting android at all. If i'm not free to do what I want with my phone, then I don't own it and I don't want it. "
brandon, change.org
"Anyone from brazil here? "
Luis, change.org
"I first switched over to a Samsung phone because of Android being a open OS. I love being able to make small apps for myself as a developer, and as a user I like that I can find small dev groups on places like GitHub making really cool and useful apps that you would never be able to find on the play store. "
Connor, change.org
"The freedom on Android is the best and that is exactly why we choose android. Please do not close off our experience on this platform. "
yer, change.org
"Google is definitely overreaching in it's attempt to lock down users' ability to install apps via sideloading. There are many valid reasons for users to sideload apps, and many have already been stated, so I won't beat a dead horse. If people aren't smart enough to protect themselves from bricking their phones when they sideload a potentially harmful app, them they deserve what they get. It's not Google's place to be Guardian of the Galaxies (see what I did there?) or Pixels. "
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
"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
"#NoMoreCorruption "
Russell, change.org
"As a former iOS dev, this move by Google sickens me. Android is the last major mobile OS that allows for open source development. Paying to become a "verified developer" is anti-consumer and anti-competitive. Google should be ashamed! This will allow them to introduce the same planned obsolescence the Apple uses to keep their users buying new phones when the latest OS isn't compatible with their phone. Users installing apps via 3rd party fully understand the risks. Corporate overreach won't "protect" anyone. We are not stupid Google! Stop treating us like sheep who don't know any better! "
Danielle, change.org
"I bought an Android phone because of the affordability and more open nature compared to iOS, and hope Google listens to the concerned users and changes its mind regarding this decision. "
Luke, change.org
"Apple is one of the lamest companies in the world. You have no control on an iPhone. That's always been one of the selling points about Android is that you have basically total control over your device. There's literally no reason to change being able to download independent and open source apps from trusted developers. There are higher chances of getting a sketchy app through the play store. Don't break what isn't broken and then say you fixed something. We already lost our SD card slots. If you see this and you haven't signed the petition, please sign it. Also for more info, go here: https://keepandroidopen.org/ "
Dakota, change.org
"Fight for internet freedom/anonymity! "
m, change.org
"I don't have much to say other than that this is immensely foolish of Google to do. "
Jaden, change.org
"Anyone who wants to write an Android app should be fully allowed, and should never be forced to pay for your own program through fees. "
Keiran, change.org
"I chose Android for the very reason of it being open and letting me run whatever software I want. Don’t take that away after I’ve already bought my device. Millions of us chose Android for the exact reason of what you're trying to censor. Don’t lock it down because you think you know better. If I wanted a company deciding what I can or can’t do on my own device, I’d buy an iPhone instead. "
Paulo, change.org
"Might as well be an iPhone at this point. The whole point of Android was customization, and this kills that. Do better Google. "
William, change.org
"I switched from IOS to Android because I value my freedom to choose as a customer. Taking that away is incredibly short-sighted on Google's part. To remove such a huge part of my choice to use my device as I wish, is to remove my reason for going with Android in the first place. Google, if you value your customers, GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT. No one is asking for this. Let customers make their own choice. If people want a locked down ecosystem, they can go to IOS. It has been that way from the beginning. Do not take away the thing that brings people to your ecosystem in the first place. "
Katie, change.org
"Google is kidding themselves if they think we'll just groan and give in; freedom of use and a low barrier of entry to development is one of the greatest things that sets Android apart from iPhones. I'm not interested in using a daily device like a phone if I can't do it my way. If I'm forced to use a device with these policies in place I'm rooting it. "
Ahmed, change.org
"Freedom and anonymity in app development are extremely important. This petition and comment is a declaration that we will not bow to great power and will continue to protect our rights. I hope Google doesn't end up like Apple. "
伊藤, change.org
"I keep memories of my life in open free apps. I can't lose all of that. Android needs to be as it has been until now. "
Javier, change.org
"Android has always been my favorite platform because I can download apps externally, often community-created apps with various benefits. Removing this option from Android is like erasing its very essence. "
Davi, change.org
"Android is built on the Linux kernel and owes much of its foundation to the GNU/Linux ecosystem. The spirit of that ecosystem is openness, transparency, and user freedom. Limiting APK installation beyond reasonable security safeguards risks turning Android into a controlled ecosystem rather than an open platform. Security improvements are important, but they should not come at the cost of developer independence, open-source distribution, and user freedom to install software responsibly. Instead of restricting APK usage, a better approach would be improving user education, providing clearer and more transparent warnings, and offering optional security layers that protect users without limiting their freedom. "
Alireza, change.org
"Bro this is the only thing keeping android over iOS don't take it "
Alejandro, change.org
"Perhaps Google shares the same ideals as that damned communist country of China; they want to take away our freedom. "
Henrique Kelvin Alves da, change.org
"APK ARE IMPORTANT,IT'S SOME GAMES THAT ARE NOT ON PLAYSTORE "
Paulo, change.org
"This seems important not to let Google be the all powerful mega corp "
Adrian, change.org
"I don’t want a walled garden on android like iOS it sucks "
Caleb, 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
"If google does go through with this I will do everything in my power to convince anyone with an android or google service to stop using it. "
James, change.org
"I do not condone google to control everything "
Leticia, change.org
"Why do company's always get more predatory and throw away reasons that adopters use them for? We need to be less loyal to services in general because they are not loyal to us. If there is no alternatives then remove a subscription (e.g. for storage), remove/replace a feature (e.g. Google Maps to a 3rd Party, or Chrome with Brave), add friction (e.g. use a VPN, randomize your identifiable info, switch OS's). React immediately although inconvenient, because they derive much of their value from how we behave as consumers, and we cannot be complacent. We can bite back, if for anything, if they get their way we will be only one step away from out the door (adoption of something and everything outside of the Google and Apple ecosystem including the physical phone itself). Example: Fairtrade running Graphene or Calpyx or e/ OS with a Brave default browser and search. "
Robel, change.org
"The war on freedom is beginning. Let's keep fighting back. "
Rafael, change.org
"To put it simply, the Android user experience has always been about the ability to express yourself, experimentation and creative freedom. Why squash that? What are you actually gaining? You'll lose a massive user base for the sake of what, "control"? "
Phil, change.org
"Promote Foss and let's talk about the next phone OS "
james, change.org