Your phone is about to stop being yours.
Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.
Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.
↓What Google is doing
In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting in 2027, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.
Registration requires:
- Paying a fee to Google
- Agreeing to Google's Terms and Conditions
- Surrendering your government-issued identification
- Providing evidence of your private signing key
- Listing all current and all future application identifiers
If a developer does not comply, their apps get silently blocked on every Android device worldwide.
Who this hurts
You
You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was open. You could install what you wanted, and that was the deal.
Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you already own. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for.
Independent developers
A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. In 2027, none of these can be installed without Google's blessing.
F-Droid, home to thousands of free and open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat. Cory Doctorow calls it "Darth Android".
Governments & civil society
Google has a documented track record of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.
The EFF calls app gatekeeping "an ever-expanding pathway to internet censorship."
Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door
Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:
- Delve into System Settings, find About Phone
- Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
- Dismiss scare screens about coercion
- Enter your PIN
- Restart the device
- Wait 24 hours
- Come back, dismiss more scare screens
- Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
- Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"
Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.
Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed.
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
Cryptee crypt.ee
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
April april.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
GitHub Store github-store.org
FUTO futo.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
FOSDEM fosdem.org
F-Droid f-droid.org
FACiL facil.qc.ca
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
FULU Foundation fulu.org
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Techlore techlore.tech
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
Italian Linux Society ils.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
iodé iode.tech
Proton AG proton.me
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Brave brave.com
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu What they're saying
Tech press
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"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
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"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
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"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
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"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
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
Editorials & analysis
"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
"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
"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
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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
"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
"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
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"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
"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
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"Google's attempts to make Android 'more secure' are, in fact, increasing the risk for Android users. The more friction you introduce in the name of security, the more likely users will attempt to bypass security completely."
Ken Buckler, Enterprise Management Associates
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"Google is turning sideloading from a right into a permission slip, and the open-source community has until September to convince it otherwise."
Reclaim The Net
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Once there is no such thing as 'sideloading', there's virtually no difference between iOS and Android. I see no reason to buy Android over iOS at this point."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"This policy represents a dramatic departure from Android's decades-old tradition of openness, in which developers could build and share apps freely without first submitting to a centralized authority."
Biometric Update
"The $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
"This is not about protecting users. This is about control. This is about Google cutting out the last remaining artery of independence in Android."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"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
"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
"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
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"Google'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
"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"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
"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
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"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
"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
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"This invasion of privacy of developers is not just an overreach of Google's authority over Android, but also jeopardizes developer safety."
Software Freedom Conservancy
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."
AdGuard
"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
"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
"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
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
YouTubers & creators
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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 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
"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 has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"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
"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
"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
"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."
Techlore – YouTube
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals
"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
"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
"This represents the last real safe place for free and open-source software in the entire mobile ecosystem. Once it's gone, it's gone. And we're going to spend the next decade trying to claw it back."
Techlore – YouTube
"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."
Techlore – YouTube
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, 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
"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
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News
"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."
renshijian, Hacker News
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"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
"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 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
"Requiring a government ID to distribute software. Holy shit. If you are a kid and want to create a game for your friends, you better get that birth certificate ready!"
llitz, Reddit
"Whatever Google is doing kind of scares me. We have a big DIY community of diabetics in Germany running tools like AndroidAPS that cannot ever be distributed through official channels."
pimeys (Type 1 diabetic, DIY medical software), Lobsters
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, 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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, 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
"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
"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
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"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
"Don't beg. Don't get in a position that freedoms depend on the whims of a corporation or willingness of a government to regulate them. Build."
jzb, Lobsters
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"I want to deploy apps on my device. They are my apps, it's my device, and I should not be required to ask for permission to do so."
fsniper, Hacker News
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, 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
"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
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, 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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"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
"Making it harder makes it harder to treat ourselves. Software like AndroidAPS is unique. It's hard to find or very expensive and inferior in the proprietary market."
pimeys (diabetic user on life-critical medical software), Lobsters
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"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
"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
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, 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
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"I teach digital literacy and 99% of unsavory software I encounter on people's phones come from the Play Store or App Store. I will believe they're serious about protecting users when I see them do something about the crap ton of borderline scam apps infesting their stores."
1995ToyotaCorolla, Lemmy
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
Voices from the petition
"Android gives users choice and that is literally the reason why I use Android. For people in places like Iran, China, Russia, and others who want to use apps that can get them unbias news media, but cannot install western news media apps from the Google Play Store how do you think they get their apps. If Google really cared about the security of their users they would actually fix stock Android's issues with permissions management and lack of zero trust architecture. Instead of fighting the symptoms (third part apps) Google should be finding the cure which is fixing the first lines of user's defense browers and OS. Google isn't coming for third party browser extentions, but they are coming for our apps. This makes no sense. It is clearly a ploy to give Google more Apple like control of OUR devices and wants to stop users who do not want to go as far as installing a more secure Android ROM (*cough* *cough* install GrapheneOS *cough*), but who still want a DeGoogled phone. "
Jannet, change.org
"We want digital sovereignty for democracy! "
Kelly, change.org
"Sim ao Android "
Cristina, change.org
"I have been an android user ever since I got my first smartphone over a decade ago. The only reason I still rock an android phone is the ability to customize my phone to my liking and being able to install whatever I want on the machine that I purchased with my money. Taking away the only feature that separates android from iOS is a terrible decision. This will definitely make a good chunk of your fanbase move over to iOS, including myself. "
Luis, change.org
"The entire reason I left the Apple ecosystem and came back to Android is because of the freedom you get with installing any app you want. If Google locks down app installations, there will be zero reason for me to still stay on an Android opereting system. Don't be evil, Google. "
Amirali, change.org
"As consumers, we are entitled to the full functionality of the technology we purchase. This includes the freedom to choose how we use our devices and what software to run on them. Google claims their efforts to lock down Android are for security purposes, but their true motivations are based in a incessant need for control and financial gain. Malware concerns have never justified sideloading restrictions on computers, regardless of OS - so why would they suddenly apply to their pocket-sized counterparts? Smartphones serve as the primary drivers enabling both our personal and professional lives, online and offline. Big tech’s desire to rob the people’s agency and ownership over such vital technology through needless restrictions and invasive surveillance for an extra dime clearly shows their lack of integrity and respect for the consumer. Removing the freedom of choice from Android means creating a landscape where all mobile technology will never truly serve their users as all tools should. Coming from someone who has used both Android and iOS devices, I have learned how indispensable the freedom provided by Android really is, even for an average user. Google’s willingness to restrict their users, destroying Android’s greatest strength and its legacy is extremely disappointing. I do not want to live in a world where all technology becomes a series of “walled gardens” as Apple has notoriously made their own phones. We deserve to own our technology, not be owned by our technology. "
Jurrien, change.org
"We shouldn't have the decision to sideload apps stripped from us so more of our data can be stolen from under our noses. The majority of the apps I use are from small devs. Devs who likely wouldn't have the time to jump through Google's arbitrary hoops, or wouldn't want to the security risks that comes with that compliance. "
Rebecca, change.org
"Silly choice. A large chunk of Android users will definitely switch to Apple with changes like this. "
Kai, change.org
"Google’s strength has always come from the openness of the Android ecosystem. At its core, Android is built on the philosophy of open source—freedom, flexibility, and user control. Limiting APK file usage directly contradicts that foundation. The ability to install applications from any source is not a flaw in the system; it is one of its defining advantages. It empowers developers to distribute their work independently, allows users to maintain control over their own devices, and fosters innovation outside of centralized gatekeeping. Removing or restricting this capability undermines the very principles that made Android successful in the first place. Open source is not just about access to code. it is about freedom of choice. When users and developers can no longer decide how and where software is installed, the platform shifts away from openness toward control. That change does not simply affect APK files; it reshapes the entire identity of the ecosystem. Developers rely on this openness to experiment, distribute, and build without unnecessary barriers. Many tools, apps, and communities exist specifically because Android allows installation outside of a single controlled marketplace. Restricting APK usage risks alienating the very developers who contribute to the platform’s growth and diversity. It is also important to recognize that users expect a level of ownership over their devices. When someone purchases a device, they expect to decide what software runs on it. Limiting APK installation sends the message that users do not fully control their own hardware, which can erode trust. Policies that restrict openness often face strong resistance because they conflict with the expectations that have been established over time. The Android ecosystem grew precisely because it was different; because it allowed freedom where others imposed limits. Moving away from that principle risks not only developer dissatisfaction but also a loss of identity. Maintaining support for APK installation is not just a technical decision; it is a commitment to the philosophy that built the platform. Preserving that openness ensures continued innovation, trust, and engagement from both developers and users. If Android is to remain true to its roots, it must continue to support the freedom that defines open source: freedom to build, freedom to distribute, and freedom to choose. "
Matthew, change.org
"Google is trying to remove any ownership of a device that I bought and paid for. If they wanted to make it some what more difficult to side load in order to prevent people accidentally installing non-reputable apps, that would be understandable, however there complete blocking of installing apps on my own device shows an irreverence for my personal property. "
Ryan, change.org
"Android needs to stop developer verification! We cannot have a single entity like Google control what we can or cannot have! "
Cheny, change.org
"Built off the back of free software and then removing the free... "
Paul, change.org
"Android does not need to be the same as iphones are: locked and proprietary. "
Dustin, change.org
"Google's attempt to prevent outside app installation on Android is very concerning. Only allowing approved developers will make it so developers will feel less inclined to make new apps. Additionally, this should raise antitrust laws into full affect as there ownership over android and attempted control over the whole market of phones that use the android ecosystem is very wrong. "
Joey, change.org
"My device is my device. "
arianna, change.org
"Android is the operating system for those who want freedom, and to take away our ability to install what we wish, is the start of Google trying to take further control over us. The internet is already falling apart with attempts to "protect" people, but in reality, the internet isn't a place for big companies to try and protect people against their will. "
Dino, change.org
"Stop this bullshit of trying to control our lives, deciding what I can and can't do. Enough with planned obsolescence, enough with authoritarianism. I, and only I, decide what's best for me, what I can and can't download on MY PHONE. "
Leonardo, change.org
""Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin "
ethical, change.org
"Remember, "DON'T BE EVIL." These are still worthy and wise words to live by. Don't be a competition crushing monopoly, driven by the love of money and power which, is the root of much evil. With wisdom and awareness, operate according to the principles of enlightened self-interest, acting in the world with peace and virtue in order to more readily manifest Heaven on Earth, Our Earth in Heaven. Let us be good for our own sake if not for goodness sake. "
Mark, change.org
"We chose Android because it is OUR device that we have control of. Soon it will be fully controlled by Google. "
Montana, change.org
"The main advantage Android had over Apple was it's openness to alternative software other than the Play store. Take that away, and you just have a better battery. "
Zac, change.org
"Being open sourced and allowing users to have control over their own devices is what makes android beautiful. If you continue with this then you'll be no better than Apple. Allow devs, techies, power users and curious kids and adults to write their own programs and use them. Our phones! Our choice! You're going to damage yourself because it'll just let operating systems like Graphene explode and become more than what they are now "
Sean, change.org
"The internet should be free for all "
Ev, change.org
"Keep android app development open! "
Samuel, change.org
"As an average user, this policy just feels awfully abusive. I have always had the mindset that if a device is yours, it should be you who gets to decide what's put in it, and to see Google make such a constraining change and directly cause so much harm to all Android users' freedom and specially small creators capacity to be a part of the community and to CREATE just deeply revolts me. The freedom and the customization of Android is what has always made me use it in the first place, if we can't even have THAT then what even is the point anyways?! "
Kris, change.org
"The core idea of Android and OSS is threatened. Android will no longer hold the offer of a unique opportunity of freedom for those feeling locked out of their own lives. It will join the likes of other mediocre technologies being force-fed to an unwilling population. This is not the way. "
Joy, change.org
"I really like the ability to "sideload" apps on android. Android's customization capabilities is one of it's most likable features. APK files are cool. They are the reason why my phone looks so pretty. Please continue to allow this option as I think it will be beneficial to Google, instead of forcing 3rd party developers from abandoning the platform to monotonous hegemony like that of the Apple iPhone OS store. Google building upon the open source code designed by Linus is cool and allows for input from various individuals which help inevitably make the google play store more beautiful and lively. Customization is cool. Please continue to allow APK file usage. "
Paul, change.org
"One of the main reasons for using android is the freedom, this gets rid of that. So I may as well use ubuntu touch at this point. "
Yurii, change.org
"Android used to be all about giving its users freedom over the walled garden approach of iOS. If Google will be following the same path of Apple, they will be losing a major competitive advantage among pro users. "
Freddy, change.org
"APKs CANNOT be ripped away from us. "
Twily, change.org
"The EU should help us "
Raphael, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom and customization. Let's keep it that way "
Jacob, change.org
"Android is the only system the you can do anything with. by closing it. there will be no privacy in the internet. "
jack, change.org
"I'm not even a dev and I don't agree with this "
John, change.org
"Hey Google. You are a silent cancer. You've engulfed everything in your path for decades: true innovation, billions of unsuspecting people's data, healthy competition, and choice. You've been sued, repeatedly fined, and ordered to break up your monopoly (you haven't), yet you keep metastasizing. I could cite historical, philosophical, religious, even SciFi metaphors of what you are, but "plague" is sufficient. For the love of humanity, if in fact there's anyone left at Plague HQ who still identifies as human, keep your metastatic tentacles off the Android Developer Platform. You've done enough harm already. Signed, The last cancer-free organ you have yet to destroy "
Andromeda, change.org
"Sideloading is a huge part of what makes android awesome. im not updating my phone anymore if this happens "
Cassius, change.org
"This undermines user choice, Again. This will hurt countless small businesses and massively increase the barrier to entry for new bootstrapped developer startups. We don't need more gatekeeping. "
Thomas, change.org
"Android users have had the ability to use APKs for so long. It is a major thing that differentiates them from Apple, and something that has prevented me from switching over. Without the freedom of apks, there is nothing keeping me with Android or Google. "
Kayla, change.org
"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
"Removing a huge part of why people choose android is certainly a choice. "
Drae, change.org
"The device that you bought that you own should not have any restrictions added after the purchase of what you can or cannot download onto said device. What (Google) is trying to do is going directly against that. "
Emilie, change.org
"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
"Turning Android into Google is pathetic "
Scott, change.org
"I strongly oppose this change. Google should HIGHLY reconsider this idea. It's SPECIFICALLY this freedom that makes me go with android to begin with. This freedom of choice is what separates them from Apple. If this change goes into effect you will see many users either switch to Apple, or find any possible alternatives that support these options. "
Zachary, change.org
"I've always loved android because of the freedom to download apps. Now that Google has decided to lock the bootloader, we need to do something so it stays customizable or else. I will switch to a Linux phone if this happens. "
Andrew, change.org
"The continual tightening of the corporate hand around the throat of Android is pivotal to oppose. Android and other Linux-based operating systems are currently and will continue to be the front lines of the eternal battle for user freedom, privacy, and safety worldwide. "
Aaron, change.org
"The whole point of Android was it was an os that gave you the freedom to use your phone the way you wanted unlike apple this ruins it's whole purpose "
Cem, change.org
"I wanted android mainly for its ability to download things in third party app stores, unlike Apple, now that Google is going to be doing this, it makes Google look no better than Apple, Android, infamous for its open sourcability now getting locked down just like iOS. I really hope that this is refuted instead of pushed to Android. "
Joshua, change.org
"We've all feared a day like this might come but it was always on the back burner if you will. My how times have changed. I am even more than just concerned ,so much so that I'm giving 30 a month to GNU. I am a limited income individual but I enjoy the advancement de-googling my life very much. F-droid is where I got my feet wet and I am eternally grateful. I told everyone about FOSS ..... Spread the word spread the word spread the word. L.....!!! It is not something you can consider doing any longer. You should already be doing it... Civil war isn't going to be between the rich and the poor, it will be the tech and the non-tech. Film at 11:00.... It sounds to me like they could actually put a huge dent in anything we call normal life. Don't let this happen to us. "
Gregory, change.org
"I really don't want this to happen because downloading external applications is what makes this operating system special: it allows you to be free to do whatever you want with your phone. I don't want it to become an iPhone 2.0. Please don't do it. "
Dark, 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 ridiculous, anti consumer move from google is going to make me completely stop using their products. it will essentially make android the same as ios, and i specifically bought android phones to have more freedom. i might as well get an iphone now. "
Lewis, change.org
"I have been using Android since the HTC G1, and I've never been so disappointed with the whole thing as I am now. I recognise that Google is doing it's best to keep malware and malicious software out of its app store, but for people who are capable of installing F-Droid, NeoStore or one of the other alternative stores, this is a disaster. Many applications I use are only available here, and with this plan from Google, I'll be unable to access tools, applications and services I use on a daily basis. "
Jon, change.org
"Also consider giving money towards the Graphene OS at grapheneos.org/donate "
Adam, change.org
"If Google "Walled gardens" Android, I will never buy a phone with their OS ever again. That's literally the only reason people buy Android, is because it is open not locked down like Apple. F.A.F.O. how much money you'll really lose Google. "
Brandon, change.org
"Control. That is all this is. Protection is a word you use to hide your true intentions, google. Google promised a platform where everybody can choose what they want; Linux does this, Windows does this. But google chose to threaten the very way of technology. We as consumers want freedom over the products we purchase, not "protection" from things "outside" of our control or knowledge. "
Trevor, change.org
"If this is Android's future then it's time for Linux phones! My device my rules. "
Juan Antonio, change.org
"As an android guru who runs a blog on getting the best out of android who often recommends and personally use many side loaded apps since a lot of the best apps are on places like f droid and sinilar places but not on google. Ultimately its sad to see android and apple be these walled gardens "
L, change.org
"I'm a developer considering deploying to Android as a platform. The option to not require Google's involvement is a highly enticing aspect, and I could see playtesting Android games by means of "hey, you're my friend, can you play this on your Android device and see if it works well?" with a signed APK becoming an absolute nightmare to deal with in the event of rapid updates caused by constant back-and-forth discussions if this goes through. Not only is this bad for the consumer on a nightmarish level, it could very well destroy the development environment of the platform, the main reason people develop for it so much more than iOS, as well. Google should be ashamed of even considering this for more than a few minutes and doing anything more than laughing the idea off the moment it was brought up, even less attempting to go through with it. I can't imagine your investors will be happy when everybody stops developing for your platform and you have far less people using it as well, either. Maybe think about the long term here. Y'know, instead of all the short term thinking kinds of mistakes that lead to things like Stadia going wrong. Don't let Android become your next Stadia, Google. Stadia failed not because of the concept, but because of tons of poorly thought out decisions that seemed good for the short-term that were horrible for any longevity, trying to focus too much on existing big heavy hitters being sold on the platform instead of trying to make a proper case for what it could uniquely bring to the table for example. It isn't out of the dang question this could make Android's upcoming versions into your next Stadia-tier failure. "
Adam, change.org
"No one is happy about this change. F-droid is infinitely more trustworthy than the play store, and does not need google prying into developers personal info to keep people safe. Being an open platform is the fundamental basis of android user's usage "
Cris, change.org
"then why get an android at this point? "
Kyarie, change.org
"I use Android because of the freedom to customize and use my phone the way I want. I don't need Google telling me how to use my phone. "
Deja, change.org
"As a lifelong Android user and now a beginner developer, I say this is nothing more than an attempt to turn Android into an iPhone 2. You're not protecting anyone, and this seems more like the beginning of an Android monopoly. An open-source system shouldn't have this kind of restriction/censorship, much less force developers to identify themselves and pay fees for beta apps. It shouldn't have a single store. This decision to act against consumers and developers will have very serious negative consequences. After all, when I choose to buy an Android, I choose it for the freedom it gives me and the variety of stores and places where I can download programs that aren't on the Play Store, whether games or development programs. Nobody chooses an Android for its features, much less for the Google system. We choose it because we want the freedom to do what we want with what we buy with our money, taking full responsibility for what we download. Because if I wanted a centralized store with no freedom whatsoever, I would buy an iPhone. "
Sophya, 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
"Stop trying to lock down Android, you bozos! "
Rares, 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
"This is absurd and down right offensive that Google ever thought the thought that contradicts the core ideals for the Android OS! An android device that's no longer open might as well be Apple 2.0. In saying that, it will turn away not only the tech savy users in completion by 100% of them looking for another OS but in turn having the user who wants to express themselves in their Android device... If we wanted a closed source environment we'd conform with the rest of the world who knows nothing else but how to have the "hive mind" think for them and buy an apple. They do it, have done it and will continue to do it the best. Which, tbh, is ok!! Let them have their space in that of the most boring OS, app store, etc... If Google follows suit and actually closes up Android, clearly it will not kill the giant that Google purchased but it will turn away hundreds of millions of users to that "boring side" as in comparison, it makes NO SENSE for one to keep an Android over an iPhone when iPhone already has side loading and other exploitations to help us at the very least feel like we have some sort of control while going with the leading IP of closed OSs.... Android and closed should never be in the same sentence and I can guarantee when it happens Google will see lows they've never experienced in recent years nor could have predicted. However if the corporate overlords didn't think a backlash would occur when Google, likely the most predatory tech company in terms of their business practices who already enables the largest black market empire in that of call centers and scammers across the world to operate by selling our data to them and pushing their ads to the top of its results for the right amount of money. Who tf you think is gonna want to use a phone backed by said company when it's closing it's OS and changing it's TOS to basically "we can see and use everything on your screen for whatever purposes we please?? Literally the largest data broker in THE UNIVERSE???? YEA RIGHT, WE'RE NOT FOOL GOOGLE, WE'RE THE PHONE USERS WHO ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO THINK FOR OURSELVES, Y'ALL FORGET THIS POINT?? "
Steven, change.org
"If you buy a computer, you rightly expect to be able any software, developed by anyone, one that device. Why should phones be any different? This is a shameless power grab by google, and a huge step backwards for user's rights "
Christopher, change.org
"Google already limited us with Android apps that are from the Play Store, now they want to censor even more?? What's the goal behind all this?! Control?? And I'm from Brazil, why Brazil was in first place regarding this??? Is the law more important than the customers? So why are they adopting ideas that Restrict consumer Freedom??? Don't you think about the Well-Being of People, of the Consumer!??? All of this is a Game to me, and you're Using the Controller for Pleasure, NOT for the Good of Society in General! That's why I'm Really Against this law!! "
Bruno Eduardo, change.org
"Genuinely fr "
Hanifinio, change.org
"I switched to Android to escape Apple's aggressively anti-consumer walled garden. My S20 Ultra (that I paid over $1600 for, after tax) is finally starting to show it's age, but now I have no incentive to get another android device for my next smartphone if you follow through with these changes. I've been a vocal supporter of Android for years, but if you don't scrap this change, I will boycott Alphabet products altogether and do my best to ensure as many others as possible are well-informed on why they should do the same. "
Jacob, change.org
"I do not agree with Google's decision to limit my personal choices about the device I paid for. I bought my phone under the impression I was allowed to use whatever software I choose, but with these restrictions, I feel betrayed and used. I may as well stop using Android phones if it's just going to be another Apple. "
Sabrina, change.org
"If I paid for my device I should be able to do whatever I want with it, you don't own it google I do, and your taking away one of the only reasons I love and use an android. "
Dylan, change.org
"SKYNET HAS INITIATED WWIII :( "
Daniel Alberto, change.org
"Google detente. "
Angel Gabriel, change.org
"Why are all these companies trying to push me to Linux? Do they not like money? "
Niel, change.org
"Help new developers earn an income and revolutionize our apps and games! "
João, change.org
"Let's all join forces in this fight because freedom cannot be violated "
Fernando, change.org
"Its important to me that developers aren't forced to give away personally identifiable information to any agency, private or public. Google shouldn't have the right to require you to give up your GOVERNMENT ID in order to make an app. "
Alex, change.org
"this change would remove the main reason i even purchase these phones, stop it google "
andrew, change.org
"The freedom of apks is one of the best parts about android period. This will kill their identity, our freedom as consumers, and only give more control to the corporate super entity. "
Walace, change.org
"Android is dying but we shall together to save Android. "
Elmer, change.org
"I have been using Android since I was a wee little lad and for the simple fact that it was mine and I had control over what and who I allowed on my devices. Using the iPoor (iPhones) always had the intrinsic "we at Apple know what's best for you" type of user experience and never got behind it. This cannot pass in in any country. "
Moe, change.org
"one of the best advantages of Android over iOS "
Anderson, change.org
"Phone operating systems already have a precident of being locked down, and locking down android tightens the restrictions and paves the way for less freedom. We need to take a stand and refuse to let Google take control away from us. "
Joey, change.org
"Using Android has always meant having the freedom to customize your experience to your hearts content, this would be the end of an era. This would also be the end of many small app developers that can't or won't conform to the what one might say 'invasive' requirements to publish an app. You can say goodbye to FOSS and side loading which is a huge part of Android customization. "
sebastian, change.org
"Keep Andriod open! "
Andre, change.org
"As someone who believes in freedom and not being controlled by the big tech companies, we need Google to reverse this decision, otherwise, I'll just switch to a Linux phone. "
Carter, change.org
"In this day and age, most of the rich and powerful are attempting to restrict the choices normal people have, and Google attempting to limit the open-source nature of Android is just one more example of this. What Google is doing is not protecting anyone and only serves to limit what we are allowed to do, and I don't want to idly stand by as the rich become richer. "
Joseph, change.org
"The whole reason I use an Android based device is for the freedom that comes with the phone. If I wanted to be governed by my cellphone manufacturer I would use an iPhone. "
Zachary, change.org
"This is about Freedom! I want to be in control of what apps I install on my phone! And How I install them! I choose freedom! Do Not block or limit my freedom under the the guise of helping me according to your beliefs! "
Henry, change.org
"Google isn't trying to protect us from malware with these policies; it's simply trying to control the platform it owns to profit from its platform and the data it collects. "
Tiburcio, change.org
"Google has shown a lack of respect for user privacy their entire existence. You own your device, you spent hundreds of dollars/Euros for it. It was not a loan by Google, it is yours, and you should control what you use it for. People who want to use only Google verified apps are free to do so without having to infringe on the rights of the people knowledgeable enough to make the decision to use apps from outside Google's Play store. Google and others have long criticized Apple for this exact thing, to the point that they're in a lawsuit for it. For Google to try this shows a complete lack of respect for the customer, a lack of integrity, and complete and utter hypocrisy. If I want to make a personal app to control a toy I made and programmed, why should I have to give Google my personal information, jump through extra hoops, give them my code, and PAY them for the privilege of doing my own work? It's ridiculous. It's pure corporate greed. More than that, it's an attempt from Google to control your device. Yet another avenue for censorship, surveillance, and the road towards a world without any freedom, all under the guise of "safety." This is not just an attack on you and your device. This is an attack on your freedom as an individual and your right to your privacy and choice. This shouldn't just be a petition, this needs to be nonnegotiable. "
Paul, change.org
"The freedom of android is what makes me not think about moving to another system such as ios, which could be lost depending on what Google decides, the charm of android is this for me. "
José Antônio, change.org
"Android has always been my preferred due to the freedom and flexibility it allows developers and consumers like me. To take that away, you're becoming more like apple and deciding what I, the consumer of your devices and software do with my device. If this goes forward, I will utilize an alternative to apple or android. "
Genesis, change.org
"I don't sideload, I only download form sources I trust and that are not the Google PlayStore. If you want to verify apps, verify them on your app store, not others! "
Lukas, change.org
"I do not want Google to limit my freedom of speech or right to privacy. Google is a monopoly and must be dismantled. This has to stop. "
Tristan, change.org
"Limiting APK file issue is not a good idea. It is basically like apple os and will greatly hurt my projects... "
Josias, change.org
"Android without open means NOTHING "
Lang, change.org
"There's a reason we chose Android over iOS. If this change happens there is zero reason for me to ever purchase another android device ever again. Might as well have better device hardware at that point. "
Daniel, change.org