A telefonod többé nem lesz igazán a tied.
2027-től* egy csendes frissítés, amelyet a Google a felhasználók beleegyezése nélkül küld ki, blokkolni fog minden Android-alkalmazást, amelynek fejlesztője nem regisztrált a Google-nál, nem fogadta el a feltételeket, és nem igazolta a személyazonosságát.
Minden alkalmazás és minden eszköz világszerte, kilépési lehetőség nélkül.
↓Mit csinál a Google
2025 augusztusában a Google bejelentette az új követelményt: 2027-től minden Android-alkalmazás...
A regisztráció megköveteli:
- Díj fizetését a Google-nak
- A Google Általános Szerződési Feltételeinek elfogadását
- Hatósági személyazonosító okmány benyújtását
- Az aláírókulcs birtoklásának igazolását
- Az összes jelenlegi és jövőbeli alkalmazásazonosító listájának megadását
Ha egy fejlesztő nem felel meg, az alkalmazásai csendben blokkolódnak minden Android-eszközön világszerte.
Kit érint ez
Téged
Android-telefont vettél, mert a Google azt mondta, hogy nyílt. Telepíthetted, amit akartál, és ez volt a megállapodás.
A Google most visszamenőlegesen átírja ezt az alkut a már birtokolt eszközökön. A frissítés után csak olyan szoftvert futtathatsz, amelyet a Google előzetesen jóváhagyott. A saját telefonodon: a te tulajdonodon.
Független fejlesztők
Egy tinédzser első alkalmazása, egy önkéntes adatvédelmi eszköz vagy egy vállalat belső bétája – nem számít. 2027-től egyik sem telepíthető a Google jóváhagyása nélkül.
F-Droid, több ezer szabad és nyílt forráskódú Android-alkalmazás otthona, ezt „létfontosságú fenyegetésnek” nevezte.
Kormányok és civil társadalom
A Google-nak dokumentált múltja van abban, hogy eleget tesz autoriter kormányok alkalmazás-eltávolítási követeléseinek.
Az EFF szerint az alkalmazás-ellenőrzés „a cenzúra egyre bővülő útja”.
A Google „menekülőútja” valójában csapda
A Google azt mondja, hogy a „haladó felhasználók” „még mindig telepíthetik” a nem ellenőrzött alkalmazásokat. Íme, mi történik valójában...
- Nyisd meg a rendszerbeállításokat, és keresd meg a fejlesztői beállításokat
- Koppints a buildszámra hétszer a fejlesztői mód engedélyezéséhez
- Hagyd figyelmen kívül a riasztó figyelmeztető képernyőket
- Add meg a PIN-kódodat
- Indítsd újra az eszközt
- Várj 24 órát
- Térj vissza, és hagyd figyelmen kívül a további figyelmeztetéseket
- Válaszd az „ideiglenes engedélyezés” (7 nap) vagy a „végleges engedélyezés” opciót
- Erősítsd meg újra, hogy megérted a kockázatokat
Kilenc lépés. Kötelező 24 órás várakozás. Egy olyan eszközön futó szoftver telepítéséhez, amely a tiéd.
Ráadásul: ez a folyamat teljes egészében a Google Play Servicesen keresztül fut, nem az Android operációs rendszeren. A Google ezt bármikor módosíthatja vagy megszüntetheti, operációs rendszer frissítése nélkül.
Ez túlmutat az Androidon
Ha a Google visszamenőleg lezárhat milliárdnyi eszközt, amelyeket nyílt platformként adtak el, minden hardvergyártó figyel.
A kialakuló elv: az eszköz gyártója a vásárlás után is meghatározhatja, milyen szoftvert futtathatsz.
Az Android nyitottsága nem csak funkció volt, hanem ígéret. A Google most egyoldalúan visszavonja ezt.
Ars Technica: „A Google Apple-irigysége fenyegeti az Android nyílt örökségét”
De várj, ez nem...
"...csak a biztonságról szól?"
A biztonsági indoklás félrevezető. A Google Play Protect már önállóan is képes kártevők felismerésére a fejlesztői azonosítástól függetlenül. A személyazonosítás nem a kódot, hanem a fejlesztőket teszi követhetővé.
"...még mindig telepíthetsz külső forrásból, ha használod a haladó folyamatot?"
Kilenc lépés, 24 órás várakozás, elrejtve a fejlesztői beállításokban, egy visszavonható szolgáltatáson keresztül. Ez nem valódi alternatíva, hanem elrettentő mechanizmus...
"...csak akkor probléma, ha van mit rejtegetned?"
A visszaélést bejelentők, újságírók és aktivisták lesznek az első áldozatok autoriter környezetben. A kiszolgáltatott helyzetben lévők számára ez valós kockázat.
"...ugyanaz, mint amit az Apple csinál?"
Az Apple az első naptól zárt rendszer volt. Az emberek az Androidot azért választották, mert más volt. „Az Apple is csinálja” gyenge érv.
"...csak 25 dollár és némi papírmunka?"
Sokak számára ez valós akadály: diákok, önkéntesek vagy korlátozott hozzáférésű régiók fejlesztői számára.
Védjük meg
Mindenki
- Telepítsd az F-Droidot minden Android-eszközödre. Az alternatív boltok csak akkor maradnak életben, ha ténylegesen használják őket.
- Lépj kapcsolatba a szabályozókkal. A szabályozók világszerte aggódnak a monopóliumok és a technológiai hatalom koncentrációja miatt.
- Oszd meg ezt az oldalt. Linkelj a keepandroidopen.org-ra.
- Ne hagyd, hogy félrevezető narratívák domináljanak.
- Írd alá a petíciót
- Olvasd el és oszd meg a nyílt levelet
- Mondd el a véleményed a saját űrlapjukon
Fejlesztők
NE regisztrálj.
A rendszer csak együttműködéssel működik. Ne támogasd.
- Beszélj más fejlesztőkkel és szervezetekkel.
- Adj figyelmeztetést az alkalmazásaidhoz.
- Van weboldalad? Add hozzá a visszaszámláló bannert.
Google alkalmazottak
Ha információval rendelkezel, vedd fel a kapcsolatot biztonságos módon.
Mindenki, aki ellenzi…
71 szervezet 23 országból aláírta a nyílt levelet
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
F-Droid f-droid.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
GitHub Store github-store.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
April april.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
Techlore techlore.tech
OpenMedia openmedia.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
iodé iode.tech
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Brave brave.com
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
FUTO futo.org
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
Italian Linux Society ils.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
Proton AG proton.me
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
FACiL facil.qc.ca
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
FULU Foundation fulu.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org Olvasd el a teljes nyílt levelet és köszönd meg az aláíróknak →
Mit mondanak
Tech sajtó
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
Elemzések
"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
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"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
"The proposed Android Developer Verification program isn't a security update; it's a kill switch for the open ecosystem."
Hillary Keverenge, Tech-ish Kenya
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"This is not about protecting users. This is about control. This is about Google cutting out the last remaining artery of independence in Android."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub
"This is 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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"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
"Sideloading, a longstanding pillar of Android's openness, is now being marginalized, placing the Android platform closer to the walled-garden approach of Apple's iOS."
Purism
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"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
"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 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
"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
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"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
"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
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"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
"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'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 could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"There is also the very real possibility that Google will leak your identity with the result that any apps with political implications could result in persecution and worse."
I-Programmer
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
Szervezetek és nyílt levelek
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"Changes would impose barriers to entry for individual developers, small teams and volunteer projects by imposing fees, identity checks and terms that may not align with the principles of an open ecosystem."
Infosecurity Magazine
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"There are governments who might very much like to know the names of the developers of those applications so that they can go after them."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"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
"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
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"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
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."
Brave
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"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
"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 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
"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
"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
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
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
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"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
"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
"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
YouTuberek és alkotók
"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
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."
Techlore – YouTube
"Google 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
"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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – 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
"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
"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
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Google keeps getting in as much trouble as Apple when Google is half evil and Apple is full evil. So there are probably people inside Google saying, 'Why not just go full evil?'"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"This 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
"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 already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."
Techlore – YouTube
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"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
"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
"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
Fejlesztők és közösség
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, 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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, 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
"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
"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
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"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
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"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
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"Don't beg. Don't get in a position that freedoms depend on the whims of a corporation or willingness of a government to regulate them. Build."
jzb, Lobsters
"I 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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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 war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"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
"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
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"Google has no right to be my parent. As long as I can't reject paternalism, I don't believe for a second this is done with the well-being of scam victims as the main priority."
gspr, Lobsters
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, 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
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), 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
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, 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
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"Can't come at a worse time. People are just learning to make things through vibe coding, and they're gonna want to put their own apps on their phones. And now Google says no."
Serinus, Lemmy
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), 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
"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
"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
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, 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
"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
"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
Hangok a petícióból
"Im sick of these souless corps squeezing every cent from us they can! "
Marcus, change.org
"I'm getting so sick of governments/ corporations thinking they can just take away our right to privacy online under the guise of "security", and the more they're able to get away with it, the more we'll see it happening. I'm not a developer and I barely use 3rd party apps, but that doesn't mean I won't fight for our ability to use our phones as we see fit "
Danielle, change.org
"Ridiculous. Android always has been open source, and by restricting access to downloading APK files, you're removing the freedom that comes with android. You say it's for safety but if that was the case, you would be removing a bunch of terrible apps on YOUR store filled to the brim with viruses and malware. We know this isn't about protection, it's about control and monopolyzing the phone industry. This decision clearly shows how little you understand your own customers, nor actually care about them "
Aiden, change.org
"As a developer who has long relied on Android’s open ecosystem, I am writing to express my strong opposition to Google’s new policy requiring all developers to register centrally with Google—even to distribute apps outside the Play Store. I understand the need for security, but Android already has robust, built-in safeguards that don't require this level of control. This new mandate forces every developer to submit to Google’s terms, pay a fee, and provide a government ID simply to offer apps through my own website or a third-party store. This fundamentally breaks what made Android "Android." My concerns are straightforward: Barriers to Entry: This creates friction for independent developers, open-source projects, and small teams who cannot absorb these compliance costs. Privacy & Surveillance: It creates a global database of every developer, tracking those who actively choose to avoid Google’s ecosystem. Arbitrary Power: It gives Google unilateral power to disable any app, from any developer, for any reason, across the entire Android ecosystem. Anti-Competitive: It allows Google to surveil competitive threats and market trends outside its own store, using that data to undermine rivals. The existing measures—sandboxing, user warnings, and Google Play Protect—have served us well for seventeen years. No evidence has been presented that these are insufficient. I urge Google to rescind this policy immediately. Turning Android into a centrally controlled platform where one corporation acts as the gatekeeper for all software is a threat to innovation, digital sovereignty, and the open principles that built this ecosystem. I ask Google to work with us, not against us, to find solutions that respect both security and freedom. "
Reese, change.org
"This is despicable behavior on Googles part. I own my device, therefore I get to decide what I want to install to it. Period. End of story. Some corporate suite halfway across the country shouldn't be allowed to decide what I can install on my device. We need to stand up to this kind of abuse of power. "
Devin, change.org
"Keep Android Open "
Timothy, change.org
"Pαrα sαlvαr Αndroid "
Jhon Harrison, change.org
"After dithering for ages, I finally did what I've always wanted to do, I installed a de-googled android it's, E/Os. Its great! If google persist in this, I'm sure more non technical users will too! I also wrote to my mp & to the UK monopoly commission. Search E/Os murena see if you can too! "
ed, change.org
"I switched to Android OS because apple's OS is closed. There will be no upsides to Android once it is closed. I will switch back to iPhones in a heartbeat so I can be on the same system as the rest of my family. "
devin, change.org
"Android has always been a platform for freedom of choice and exploration. This restrictions from Google go against the core element that made users stick with Android for all these years. If I bought something with my own money I should be free to use it as I please. "
Eric, change.org
"This petition is important because as an open source developer and long-time Android enthusiast, the freedom of installing software on a device I own is mandatory. Android is fun and customizable, let's ensure that both developers and users can continue to enjoy their devices without restrictions. "
Benjamin, change.org
"The ability to download external APKs which give my phone some really neat functionality is what prevents me (for the most part) from switching to IOS. Google, please don't take that away from us. At least tell us why you wish to restrict Android. "
D, change.org
"APPLE wAS GONE LONG AGO NOW WHERE WILL WE GO? "
henry, change.org
"Assuming Google is acting in good faith, they should respect users' intelligence and not lock down APK usage into a heavily regulated part of the internet. "
Noah, change.org
"I truly care about the direction Android might take. The freedom to install apps outside the official store has always been part of its essence — enabling innovation, access, and choice for millions of people. Limiting this is not just a technical change, it is a change in philosophy. Technology should empower the user, not restrict them. I hope the future of Android remains open, free, and in the hands of those who matter most: us. "
Marcelo, change.org
"I want to be able to load any arbitrary APK onto my own phone. I should not be limited or made so suffer in any way because some bad actors take advantage of naive people who act irresponsibly. It is my choice to install my own software or F-Droid or anything. Taking that choice away means Android has no value to me as a product. "
Seamus, change.org
"I am tired of massive corporations limiting us. I love using android because it is a modified linux kernal and I love using linux. I want android to stay open, android has not right to call itself linux if it will not stay open. "
Charlotte, change.org
"The promise was to have an open OS: a walled garden has always been seen as something negative where the supposed pros do NOT outweigh the cons, among them far too much power in the hands of one, central entity. And every time a stunt like this is attempted, it demonstrates how that simply shouldn't be allowed to ANYone. My phone is mine. Let me install whatever I like on it. "
Daniele, change.org
"They literally block sideloading with this and always using "security" as an excuse, they never will accept all dev, and also who give they the right to get ID of dev. Put in you place, you are a company in a democratic country, we give you power The solution for this is stop using google services, give they a prove of power, they depend of us because we give them money, stop using google service, and fight against this injustice Google is evil, and right now they are shown they craws "
Juan, change.org
"I've been an user of Android based phones for a very long time. I am fully against the idea of this move Google is trying, as it is just another notch in the attempted censorship and surveillance of the internet as a whole. If this move is allowed to go through, I will find workarounds or work towards getting a third party phone deal where I don't have to deal with this. These big tech companies should not have the authority to force us to bend to them. We have the power to make them back down. Let our voice be heard. Boycott these companies and make them lose money. The moment their financial gains are threatened, they will surrender. "
Brandon, change.org
"Android has always stood for user choice that’s what made it different. Taking away freedoms like sideloading apps goes directly against that foundation. Not every developer wants to go through approval processes just to create or use their own apps. Many of us build things for personal use, experimentation, or learning not for distribution under strict control. These changes don’t just limit developers they set a dangerous precedent. This is how censorship and platform control begin, slowly turning an open ecosystem into a closed one. Android was meant to be open. What made it powerful was the freedom it gave its users. Stripping that away doesn’t protect people it restricts them. If Android continues down this path, it risks losing what made it great in the first place. "
Jared, change.org
"We should be able to do what we want with the devices we own. Locking everyone into only downloading from the google playstore will just create the walled garden that iPhone has already. "Sideloading" shouldn't be viewed as a bad thing, or something you shouldnt do. Its the same as downloading something on a computer. Im just downloading software on my phone. Imagine if they blocked you being able to downloading anything outside of the Microsoft Store on Windows. This needs to be stopped. The main (and basically only reason) I get an android phone is to have control over it. If this is removed from hs I will have no reason not to use an iPhone instead. "
Steven, change.org
"Nobody asked for this. Unrestricted sideloading is the only reason I bought an Android phone. I need to upgrade to a new phone soon, but I will never in a million years consider buying another Android phone unless this decision is reversed. I'm now genuinely tempted to switch careers and devote my life to building sophisticated adblockers just to annoy Sundar. "
Jacob, 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
"Ive used both IPhone and Android, and the biggest reason I stayed with android is the ability to download any app I want. While Google is allowing legit malware and scam apps onto their platform, they are attacking indie developers who are just making useful apps. This is completely against user freedom and is essentially going to just send a lot of us Apple, what is the point? This needs to stop! "
Gina, change.org
"User Freedom is the Android standard, what the user chooses to do with his Android device is done under his own accountability. This is an attempt to monopolize and monetize the users "choice" by removing all avenues aside from google's approved path. Sideloading is not a risk that google is trying to protect their users from, it is a risk to their revenue that would come from selling you a tool made of easily copyable code, since all purchases made from apps installed through "normal means" give 30% of that revenue to google. What google wants is money, and they get money by placing their own guiding rails on your attention. they give you a free app that sustains itself with either some "full version purchase/subscription" or google's own ad platform. Their ads are another form of revenue to google, as well as app developers, though they have the downside of attempting to guide your attention away from what you're doing at the time and stimulate you into spending on whatever is being sponsored to be shown to you. There are thousands of apps on the play store, there are thousands more on other sources, and the very ones on the play store are subject to a policy of "update your app within x years or it will be removed from the play store;" this is a death sentence to any developer that simply wants to create a tool to help others by having to constantly update, then having to have some way to make it sustainable by some form of monetization since it's going to have an upkeep. It's either this, or being "doomed to obscurity outside the play store." In every step of the ladder of usage, google wants to have more money, search for an app, sponsored results first, then actual search query response, start downloading an app, the layout changes to show multiple carousels of sponsored apps "tailored to you," open an app, ads, wherever they can be, chosen by years of usage tracking and market control research, making money to google because companies will pay to have their names spread to gather attention, pay for services, subscriptions, and tools, giving 30% of it to google. A company like google measures its success by how much money they make, while the creators of tools, services, and games read through their mail, appreciating good reviews and crying about bad ones because passion is what led them to create. Take GitHub for example, a site comprised entirely to sharing code, entire project libraries free and open-source for anyone to use. Take StackExchange, multiple forums where questions and answers between experts of hundreds of subjects ranging from pure mathematics to writing to Dungeons & Dragons. Take Anna's Archive, a long-standing attempt to preserve literature media and providing methods to acces, preserve, and add to over 63 million books and 95 million papers, all for free. The average person is not me, but the average person includes large numbers of people younger than me that will accept whatever comes to their hands at the end of the day, it includes large numbers of people older than me that will be glad of an oversimplified process that won't take from their time. We need to be lucid enough to not waste time, the old will have too little time to care how they're being led, and the young will be raised into being led and believe it's natural. We need to show that our time is a value to each of us, and be strong enough to not sell our time to the well-oiled machine made to line a distant someone's pockets. "
Carlos, change.org
"Side loading IS the ONLY reason i use Android. If its taken away, what is the POINT of android? I will move to ios. "
mehedi, change.org
"For Freedom! "
Ömer Can Devrim, change.org
"I despise ALPHABET's manipulative and self-serving gestures, toward gate-keeping OUR FREEDOMS and coyly investing themselves in THEIR PROMOTION, of our best intetests! 601=VC1 "
Ian, change.org
"Let's fight for our freedom. "
Juan, change.org
"not cool google "
Colin, change.org
"The reason I don't like the IPhone ecosystem is because of how restricted it is, inwas able to support games or authors who don't publish on Google playstore due to what country they live "
Hairon, change.org
"Your OS literally wouldn't exist without Linux. Stick to the "
Caleb, change.org
"Prohibition is not the way to safety and health. Good UX is enough to allow power user to own their devices. Don't listen to excuses from big corporations that play the victims, while they treat their users like disposables, in order to maximize their profits. Android must stay open. "
Lorenzo, change.org
"Android should be free; it was supposed to be the hero of free or open-source applications. "
Alan, change.org
"Locking down the ability to use APKs and other applications outside of the "approved" developers app is a great way to snub creativity and only allow "state sponsored" media on the device that is on your person 24/7. Having the ability to manipulate MY DEVICE that I paid for should be an absolute capability of each device we are expected to carry for years. "
Alex, change.org
"I will dtop uding Android if this is beeing implemented "
Cederick, change.org
"If android isn't open source then it's straight up just a worse iOS literally the only reason we use it is the fact that it's open source 💀 "
Natalia, change.org
"This is the main appeal of android to me. Having the freedom with my own device that I paid for instead of being limited. "
Joshua, change.org
"SKYNET HAS INITIATED WWIII :( "
Daniel Alberto, change.org
"Once the promise of running open software on Android is broken I ll simply toss the device into the bin and never look back. "
David, change.org
"It's Android's openness that has allowed its development and evolution to this day. To close it would break the promise of an open system and deprive users of great freedom! "
Stark, change.org
"I've spent my entire youth and adult life trying my very best to curate tech that puts me in charge rather than some unaccountable corporation. Unfortunately not everyone has the luxury I do, and even my position is somewhat precarious. As a user of GrapheneOS, theoretically this change will not affect me directly, but that doesn't mean the ripples will not reach me. App developers are being hamstrung in such a way that I have no confidence whatsoever that these proposed changes to the Android ecosystem won't wind up killing useful and important apps that I use. Just using an unverified device is not enough, these changes must not go through. "
Ben, change.org
"Only reason I've always used android is because it's pretty open to apps I make for myself. If that is taken away, there's no reason not to go to Apple. "
Bill, 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
"free is the most important part of Android,no freedom no Android. "
jason, 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
"Censorship and authoritarian regime in the guise of security is asinine and should be illegal. Monopoly is illegal. Google is digging its own grave. "
Billy, change.org
"The only reason I have a Samsung is because my VTuber software is an open-source APK, and I doubt Google will approve it then the restriction happens. "
Jesse, change.org
"Android has always been known for side loading. Android has always been better than IOS because it has side loading. Now, if Google keeps with this plan, our side loading rights will be gone. We can NOT let this happen. I have side loaded apps for years now, getting indie games and apps, getting modded apps, and so much more. I love to emulate, and there are many emulation apps that are approved on the play store. However, apps like Winlator and GameNative are not, and I would be revoked of using these apps. These apps have provided so many hours of fun to me, and without them, I wouldn't even be able to play PC games. Sign this petition to keep the freedom of Android that we should always have. "
Blake, change.org
"Apple's censorship of the App Store is why I have an Android phone. This is not the way to freedom. "
Cameron, 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
"Built off the back of free software and then removing the free... "
Paul, change.org
"SCREW GOOGLE FOR DOING THIS! F-Droid and other 3rf party app stores ARE IMPORTANT and losing them means Google wins and everyone else LOSES. Help support these platforms in any way you can peeps!!! "
Jack, change.org
"I use Android over iOS specifically for the ability to install the applications I want in the way I want. If I can't do that, I might as well not use an Android phone. "
Jeremy, change.org
"The whole point of going for an Android over an iPhone is the freedom to customize and install what I want. It's bad enough that there are fewer and fewer makers that allow things that used to be expected (headphone jack, replaceable battery, SD storage) but at least we had the apps we wanted, how we wanted them. If this changes, there will be no point to the entire Android platform. This cannot be allowed to happen. We know this isn't about security, either, it's about surveillance and being able to sell more of our data "
Lewis, change.org
"The restrictive policies blocks me to publish My apps cuz I don't have many testers as they force me to have as an individual developer, now they want to cut off the only way that I have to share My creations "
David, change.org
"This is bad for the consumer "
Swargin, change.org
"I've installed dozens to hundreds of APKs on my phone for years. Whether it's personal projects or open source tools. It's really the only defining difference between Android and iOS. Why is this even being considered by Google? "
Joseph, change.org
"Google, go rethink your choices! what is wrong with companies nowadays?!?! "
am, change.org
"Let me sideload my Android apps. "
Stephan, change.org
"Unacceptable. This goes completely against the Spirit of the Android OS. Sideloading is a big reason Android is what is it today. Apps that were sideloaded became essential and were later integrated into the Android OS. Anyone smart enough to sideload is smart enough to educate themselves and be aware of any risks involved. I help people who's phones were hijacked by almost malware-like Launchers. Google still hasn't banned those Launchers from Google Play but somehow sideloaded apps are bad? Spare me the big brother crap. This is crackdown on Revanced and similar apps. This is also in coordination with government to crackdown on "undesirable" apps such as those that bypass censorship. "
Pavel, change.org
"As a android user and a newbie developer, android OS is famous by the its freedom. Because we can modify our android operating system by our ways,and decided which software I wanted which I needn't. This freedom is the biggest difference between android and IOS and other fake android, which is full of junk ads and virus-like game. However, if we lost freedom on android operating system, the open-source software developer will lose motivation from this platform. That is a horrorible things to the android and the people who beloved with it. "
su, change.org
"I bought this device. Keep your ransomware/malware away from MY device, Google. "
Zach, change.org
"The spirit of open source is one of the basis of the Internet.Please do not reverse the course of history. "
Roberto, change.org
"I know this sounds crazy, but I just want to be able to use the device I paid for the way that I want to. "
Thomas, change.org
"Do not fix something that is not broken. "
Pavel, change.org
"This is not just a threat for programmers and startups but a threat to existing programmers/Co's. they intend to possibly blacklist. No different conceptually than the game they are playing against journalists currently as we have all seen being done. Accepting this type of centralized control says you support fascism and censorship type tactics and exploitative mechanisms that create monopolies at it's core roots. "
Eric, change.org
"Android should remain free; we are taking more and more steps towards an authoritarian global society and less individual freedom. FREEDOM is a non-negotiable right. "
Farid, change.org
"I don't want to have to choose between switching phones and being able to download uncensored apps. Most people simply don't have the time or freedom to switch to Linux, and Google knows it. We are not stupid. We don't need their "protection." We can make our own choices for ourselves. "
Adele, change.org
"I use software that is not in the google play store. I want the freedom to use my phones. tablets, and other devices how I want them. "
Doug, change.org
"Keep the Android ecosystem free. "
Gabriel, change.org
"I will stop using Android if that actually happens and goes through, because what's the point then? "
Cederick, change.org
"The level of control Google is attempting to exert over developers and users is unreal. If I download an app from a source that isn't the play store, I shouldn't need Google's approval. I will seek alternate operating systems from the Android and iOS duopoly if this goes through. "
Alice, change.org
"As someone who's used Android since Android 5.0 & 4.4.4, I think being able to download and install 3rd party applications is important for EVERYONE who uses any Android device. Sideloading is a key reason why Android is beloved by most of its users and a key advantage for most power users of many different devices which gives it a major edge over Apple's iOS platform which has many of these restrictions. The difference between Android and iOS for as long as both of them have existed is that Android has been designed since the beginning as an Open-Source operating system that was ALWAYS designed to be tinkered with by the user without needing to be beholden to the whims of the big company that owns it. TL;DR, Android is an open-source OS that is better than iOS because it doesn't restrict user freedoms, even if that freedom isn't always needed by every Android user. Keep Android Open! (save Android X86 too maybe as well!) "
Andrew, 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
"Google, let us keep being able to install whatever we want on our own devices. Otherwise there isn't really a reason to NOT get an iPhone because your platform isn't really open anymore. Don't alienate a large portion of your tech savvy customers and developers. Eliminating the possibility for people to write and distribute their own apps would harm the Android ecosystem. You would kill the pipeline for new developers to work their way up to creating the next big thing and your marketshare would suffer as a result. "
Sam, change.org
"One of the reasons that I had chosen android over IOS is its open ecosystem, and the ability to side-load my own apps outside of traditional sources to meet my needs, but by locking this down, not only does this destroy the open-source movement, but it also stalls and even halts development all-together, which means that you will no longer be able to gain the advantage of "community" improving upon the various aspects of the android operating system. "
gabi, change.org
"Dear Google, you are single handedly destroying the whole purpose for which we use Android. Not only will you see a mass exodus from Google devices/services, you will force the creation of alternative operating systems that allow for user privacy and fredom for app developers. You all are making it harder for yourselves and for us. "
Kevin, 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
"Android is open source, period. On top of that, I'm buying the device. I own my phone, and that means I should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want with it! If I want to click on links from sketchy sites and download things that are not directly from the Google Play Store, I should be able to. Google claims this is to protect their users, but it's nothing more than censorship and crushing competition from a private, anonymous, and often better competitors making free and open source apps on platforms like F-Droid or Obtanium. It's like saying that you aren't allowed to hang a picture you bought from your friend in your own house that your bought, unless your friend pays Google $25 and gives them their ID, but you can hang as many pictures in your house as you like if you buy them directly from Google. Doesn't that sound absurd? "
Thomas, change.org
"independenceeeeeeee "
Spam, change.org
"I want my freedom to install any app I want on MY DEVICE!!! "
Aswin, change.org
"I have a bunch of applications that are not on the Google Play Store that I would lose access to if this feature were to be removed. Security Concerns are not a reason to screw over your customers, and just like you and me, we're all people too. People have the right for freedom, and you're revoking that freedom from the devices that we bought and paid for with our own money. This is extremely monopolistic and anti-competitive. There is now essentially no competition between iOS and Android Devices if this feature gets removed. You are doing a disservice to the entire existence of Android by removing this feature. This hurts more than it helps. "
C., change.org
"I use android since I was aware of what is tech, nearly since android started as an OS, customizing every aspect of my phone I was capable to, breaking things, some of the things that make android being the sweet spot between being in complete freedom (what can be dangerous) and a kindergarten for cellphone users. In later years still using some good indie apps that the developers can't afford to put on google play, going back in app versions through public apk repos like apkmirror when something went wrong with the current version of an app, and more recently being a software developer. Today this is nothing but one more barrier to do native mobile apps (adding to resource intensive development tools, excessive boilerplate, steep learning curve, hardware and OS fragmentation, play store current policies, and many more) turning testing and feedback into a headache. I as a developer see a potential loss of talent that could enrich the ecosystem, a place where only startups and companies will survive (driven by capitalism) except for a minority of truly dedicated developers. I'm not a native English speaker however today I wanted my voice to be heard, doing it so in their language despite the misspelling I could make. I have hope for open source (especially indie); we mustn't forget that many of today's software foundations, including Android, originate from it. I hope they allow, and above all, facilitate the preservation of open source through the small innovations of more casual developers who improve the ecosystem day by day. "
Alexis, change.org
"I dislike all the changes that have undergone Android, but this one takes the cake for the worst one i could have ever imagined. "
Pye, change.org
"As I'm planning on purchasing a new device soon, this announcement is making me reconsider choosing android at all. If it is moving towards controlling user freedoms, Android becomes less compelling, as that has been the major draw for me. "
Taryn, change.org
"Android has been the bastion for users who did not want to accept companies deciding what we do with our devices, it is imperative that users are granted the freedom of choice to install any software they wish, and to develop software to innovate and solve issues that Google or its partners decide is not worth their time. "
Hassan, change.org
"who's afraid of free open source software? "
F., change.org
"If I choose to install a piece of software written by someone who "isn't verified" on my device that is my business, not Google's. To Google : Right now, one of the few remaining reasons I would choose an Android device over an iOS device is due to the presence of alternate app stores, like F-Droid that allow me to install open source apps. If I lose that ability, why would I continue to use Android over the competition? Don't be evil. "
Cameron, change.org
"I've always installed software from whatever source I chose. I don't think locking things down on Android any more than they already are helps anyone. It just adds fuel to suspicions we already have about Google vision due the Android ecosystem. "
Jason, change.org
"Turning Android into Google is pathetic "
Scott, change.org
"Open means Open Google. You are a Liar Google. Pass this and watch the revolt. There are other options than Google, Google. "
Paul, change.org
"Android's freedom was one of the reasons it attracted so many users, and now they want to take that freedom away? That's like shitting on your customer's plate, the one who helped you get there where is it. "
Kelwiny, change.org
"I think the freedom to have a choice on this matter is important, not just because there is a case to make regarding unsupported products let alone possible monopoly concerns, but also because there is a major issue regarding the freedom of choice on this matter that I think should not be taken away as an option for consumers. "
Ronald, change.org
"Jesus christ google you want to drive away your entire customer base? You realize that the only reason we don't buy iphones is because they don't give us this freedom that Android does. I know you think no one can touch your multi billion dollar empire but know that you have that data because of us. The customers. NO ONE ASKED FOR THIS, NO ONE WANTS THIS. First you "detected root" then you "implemented safety net" then you implemented "play integrity and certification" just pushing and pushing and pushing developers to bow down to you. And now this? No. You aren't staying on top forever. Think very carefully if this is the road you want to tread because we will all leave. And it won't be just Android. Alternative search engines exist. Alternative emails exist. Alternative cloud storage exists. We don't have to bow down to Google. If you do this, it's over. "
Genalio, change.org
"There is absolutely no reason for this. Google is once again using its money and influence to bully and suppress independent developers and choke out options for user, all while further its goal to insert itself in every aspect of the digital life. I enjoy having choice. I do not require every aspect of my life to be "verified". And the endless fees heaped on every small independent, be they developer or user, need to stop. "
Cat, change.org
"then why get an android at this point? "
Kyarie, change.org
"My property. My rules. "
Steven, change.org
"The entire reason I chose an android over an apple phone was the control over my device I got. Taking that away is a mistake! "
Gin, change.org