Tvoj telefón sa čoskoro prestane správať ako tvoj.
Od roku 2027* začne Google prostredníctvom tichej aktualizácie, bez súhlasu používateľa, blokovať všetky Android aplikácie, ktorých vývojár nie je registrovaný, neodsúhlasil podmienky, nezaplatil poplatok a neidentifikoval sa oficiálnymi dokladmi.
Každá aplikácia a každé zariadenie, globálne, bez možnosti odmietnuť.
↓Čo Google pripravuje
V auguste 2025 Google oznámil novú požiadavku: od roku 2027 bude musieť byť každý vývojár Android aplikácií centrálne registrovaný u Googlu, aby bolo možné jeho softvér nainštalovať na zariadenie. Netýka sa to len aplikácií v Play Store, ale všetkých aplikácií. Vrátane aplikácií zdieľaných medzi známymi, distribuovaných cez F-Droid alebo vytvorených pre vlastné použitie. Nezávislí vývojári, komunitné projekty aj hobby tvorcovia tak môžu stratiť možnosť svoje aplikácie šíriť.
Registrácia zahŕňa:
- Zaplatenie poplatku Googlu
- Súhlas s podmienkami Googlu
- Poskytnutie identifikačného dokladu vydaného štátom
- Preukázanie vlastníctva podpisového kľúča
- Uvedenie všetkých existujúcich aj budúcich identifikátorov aplikácií
Ak vývojár tieto požiadavky nesplní, jeho aplikácie budú automaticky blokované na všetkých Android zariadeniach.
Koho sa to dotkne
Teba
Android si si kúpil aj preto, že bol otvorený. Mohol si si inštalovať aplikácie podľa vlastného výberu.
Google teraz tieto podmienky spätne mení, aj pre zariadenia, ktoré už vlastníš. Po zavedení zmien bude možné spúšťať len softvér, ktorý Google schváli — na zariadení, ktoré je tvojím majetkom.
Nezávislí vývojári
Prvá aplikácia študenta, komunitný nástroj na ochranu súkromia alebo interná firemná aplikácia. V roku 2027 nebude možné tieto aplikácie nainštalovať bez schválenia Googlu.
F-Droid, ktorý združuje tisíce open-source aplikácií, označil tento krok za "existenciálnu hrozbu". Cory Doctorow ho nazýva "Darth Android".
Štáty a občianska spoločnosť
Google má zdokumentovanú históriu vyhovovania požiadavkám vlád na odstránenie aplikácií. Tento model znamená, že softvér používaný aj vo verejnom sektore môže byť závislý od rozhodnutí jednej súkromnej spoločnosti.
EFF upozorňuje, že kontrola aplikácií predstavuje "rozširujúcu sa cestu k internetovej cenzúre."
"Alternatívny postup" podľa Google je výrazným obmedzením
Google uvádza, že "pokročilí používatelia" si budú môcť "naďalej inštalovať" neoverené aplikácie. V praxi to znamená:
- Otvoriť systémové nastavenia a nájsť možnosti pre vývojárov
- Klepnutím na číslo zostavy sedemkrát aktivovať režim vývojára
- Potvrdiť varovania
- Zadať PIN
- Reštartovať zariadenie
- Počkať 24 hodín
- Znovu potvrdiť varovania
- Vybrať možnosť "povoliť dočasne" (7 dní) alebo "povoliť trvalo"
- Znovu potvrdiť porozumenie "rizikám"
Deväť krokov a povinné 24-hodinové čakanie — pre inštaláciu aplikácie na zariadení, ktoré vlastníš.
A čo je horšie, celý proces prebieha cez Google Play Services, nie priamo cez Android. Google ho môže kedykoľvek zmeniť alebo zrušiť bez aktualizácie systému a bez súhlasu používateľa.
Dopady presahujú Android
Ak Google môže spätne obmedziť miliardy zariadení predávaných ako otvorené, vytvára to precedens pre celý trh.
Vzniká princíp: výrobca zariadenia rozhoduje aj po jeho kúpe, aký softvér môžeš používať. Pri softvéri sa tento jav označuje ako "rug pull" — náhla zmena pravidiel v neprospech používateľa; stále však môžeš použiť alternatívny softvér. V prípade hardvéru ide o hotovú vec (fait accompli), ktorá používateľovi berie kontrolu a ponecháva ju v rukách spoločnosti bez efektívnej kontroly s monopolným postavením.
Otvorenosť Androidu bola kľúčovým dôvodom jeho výberu. Bol to práve tento prísľub, ktorý Android odlišoval od iPhonu. Milióny ľudí si ho vybrali práve z tohto dôvodu. Google teraz tento prísľub jednostranne ruší, a to aj na zariadeniach, ktoré už majú používatelia vo svojich rukách, pretože vychádza z toho, že jeho trhové postavenie a vplyv na reguláciu mu to umožnia bez zásadných dôsledkov.
Ars Technica: "Snaha Googlu priblížiť sa Apple môže oslabiť otvorený charakter Androidu."
Časté otázky
"...ide len o bezpečnosť?"
Argument bezpečnosti je sporný. Google Play Protect už dnes kontroluje aplikácie nezávisle od identity vývojára. Požiadavka na predloženie dokladu totožnosti nevytvára bezpečnejší kód. Umožňuje však identifikovať a kontrolovať vývojárov. Autori škodlivého softvéru sa zaregistrovať môžu, nezávislí vývojári či disidenti často nie. Organizácia EFF to pomenúva priamo: kontrola prístupu založená na identite je nástroj cenzúry, nie bezpečnosti.
"...nemôžeš použiť sideloading (inštalácia aplikácií mimo Google Play)?"
Deväť krokov, 24-hodinové čakanie, všetko skryté v možnostiach pre vývojárov a realizované cez uzavretú službu, ktorú môže Google kedykoľvek zmeniť alebo zrušiť. To nie je sideloading. Je to mechanizmus odrádzania, navrhnutý tak, aby ho dokončil len málokto. A keďže funguje cez Play Services, nie priamo cez operačný systém, Google ho môže nenápadne sprísniť alebo úplne zrušiť.
"...je to problém len ak máš čo skrývať?"
Oznamovatelia nekalých praktík, novinári a aktivisti v autoritárskych režimoch budú medzi prvými obeťami. Nasledujú ľudia ohrození domácim násilím. Všetky tieto skupiny majú legitímne dôvody distribuovať alebo používať softvér bez toho, aby museli svoju právnu identitu ukladať do databázy Googlu. Anonymné prispievanie do open-source projektov je tradícia staršia než samotný Google. Táto politika ju na Androide ukončuje.
"...robí to aj Apple?"
Apple bol vždy uzavretý ekosystém. Android si používatelia vyberali pretože bol iný. "Apple to robí tiež" je súťaž o prerazenie dna a slabý argument typu tu quoque (a ty tiež). A pod regulačným tlakom (napríklad v dôsledku Digital Markets Act v EÚ) je aj Apple nútený viac sa otvárať. Google sa uberá opačným smerom: snaží sa ešte viac upevniť svoje postavenie "ochrancu".
"...ide len o malý 25$ poplatok?"
Možno, ak si americký developer s kreditkou a vodičákom. Skús byť africkým študentom, disidentom v Mjanmarsku, alebo dobrovoľníkom spravujúcim komunitnú appku. Poplatok je len časť problému. Vývojári musia poskytnúť identifikačné údaje a ďalšie citlivé informácie firme, ktorá bežne plní požiadavky štátov na odstránenie aplikácií a odovzdáva im údaje vývojárov.
Čo môžeš urobiť?
Používatelia
- Nainštaluj si F-Droid na svoje zariadenia. Alternatívne obchody prežijú len keď ich ľudia budú používať.
- Kontaktuj regulátorov. Regulátori na celom svete sa prirodzene zaujímajú o monopoly a centralizáciu moci v technologickom sektore a potrebujú to počuť od tých, ktorí sú týmito praktikami dotknutí.
- Zdieľaj túto stránku. Pošli linku na keepandroidopen.org všade.
- Reaguj na zavádzajúce informácie. Skupina "No ale..." je v plnej sile. Nedovoľte im udávať tón diskusie.
- Podpíš petíciu.
- Prečítaj si a zdieľaj otvorený list.
- Vyjadri svoj názor Googlu cez ich vlastný formulár (hoci to nič nezmení).
Vývojári
Nezapájaj sa do programu. Neregistruj sa do Android Developer Console. Neodovzdávaj im svoje dáta. Nehraj túto hru.
Program funguje len ak sa vývojári zapoja. Ty sa nezapájaj.
- Odhovor ostatných vývojárov od registrácie.
- Pridaj upozornenie pre užívateľov do aplikácií.
- Máš vlastnú stránku? Pridaj si tam banner.
Zamestnanci Googlu
Ak máš informácie o technickej implementácii alebo pozadí tejto zmeny, kontaktuj nás cez tips@keepandroidopen.org bezpečne z iného ako pracovného zariadenia cez iný nie-Gmail účet. Garantujeme anonymitu.
Všetci čo sú proti…
71 organizácií z 23 krajín podpísalo otvorený list
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
Italian Linux Society ils.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
April april.org
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
Techlore techlore.tech
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
GitHub Store github-store.org
FUTO futo.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
Brave brave.com
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
FACiL facil.qc.ca
iodé iode.tech
F-Droid f-droid.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
Proton AG proton.me
CryptPad cryptpad.org
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
FOSDEM fosdem.org
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Cryptee crypt.ee Čo na to vravia
Technologickí novinári
"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 kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"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 says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
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 will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"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
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
Editoriály a analýzy
"There is also the very real possibility that Google will leak your identity with the result that any apps with political implications could result in persecution and worse."
I-Programmer
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"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
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Once there is no such thing as 'sideloading', there's virtually no difference between iOS and Android. I see no reason to buy Android over iOS at this point."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"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
"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
"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
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
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
"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
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"Android is not open anymore. It's not an alternative. It's not even trying. It's iOS with ads and spyware bolted on."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"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 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
"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 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
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"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 that they are altering the deal. And telling us that we should pray that they don't alter it further. Block this policy change now before they wrap their cold metal hands around our necks."
Jesse Wilson, PublicObject.com
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"Destroying F-Droid isn't some 'oops.' It's the mission. It's Google finally cutting the last remaining escape route and locking every single user inside their store."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"The $25 isn't the real cost. The chilling effect is. Submitting government ID to Google is a non-starter for pseudonymous contributors and privacy researchers."
Arafat Alim, DEV Community
"Google'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
Organizácie a otvorené listy
"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
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"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
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"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
"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
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"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
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"Google will cut off independent developers to Android if they do not register with Google first. This will kill independent platforms like F-Droid and severely impede FLOSS devs from creating apps for Android."
KDE
"Changes would impose barriers to entry for individual developers, small teams and volunteer projects by imposing fees, identity checks and terms that may not align with the principles of an open ecosystem."
Infosecurity Magazine
"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
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."
AdGuard
"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
"There are governments who might very much like to know the names of the developers of those applications so that they can go after them."
Electronic Frontier Foundation
"Google'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
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"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
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."
Brave
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"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
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"Developers who build privacy-first browsers, encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, Tor-based software or tools for journalists and activists would be required to upload government ID to Google. These developers are unlikely to trust Google and might stop developing for Android."
Brave
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
YouTuberi a iní tvorcovia
"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
"Imagine Dell told you that you could no longer install any operating system other than Windows on your laptop. That's what Google is doing to your phone."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google 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
"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 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 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
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
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 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
"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 has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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
"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
"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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
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
"F-Droid is basically saying that the new Google developer registration process will likely kill the open-source app store entirely."
The Linux Experiment – YouTube
"Google 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
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – 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
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
fireborn – Blog
"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
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
Vývojari a komunita
"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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"My Pixel 6 just broke, and after 15 years of using Android, I've finally been convinced to move to iOS. If I must live in a walled garden, I suppose I'll choose the one with nicer flowers."
yonato, Hacker News
"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
"If Android's sandbox and permission systems actually worked, then the mere act of installing an app from an arbitrary source would be as harmless as visiting an arbitrary website."
mwcampbell, Lobsters
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"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
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, 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
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, 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
"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
"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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), 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
"Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won't give you a key, they're not doing it for your benefit."
vord (quoting Cory Doctorow), Tildes
"You are essentially a child to them. The difference is society has decided not to step in to protect you from your abusive parents."
globular-toast, Hacker News
"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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"If I go down this path, I will stop all development on Android. I implore all other developers to resist this. This will completely lock down the platform forever, there will be no going back."
BatteryMountain, Hacker News
"I 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 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
"Computing is infrastructure. Personal computers are a means of expressing agency. This is like banning people from moving furniture around their house without approval from mortgage lenders."
wervenyt, Tildes
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"Twice I have had to deal with Google silently disabling my drone app to the point I had to buy an older phone to perform work. When I purchase a device that works with another device, under no circumstances should I be at the mercy of any updates they make."
cbrophoto (drone professional), Reddit
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, Hacker News
"Antitrust action is badly needed. It is ridiculous that I need permission from my device manufacturer to install software on hardware I own."
jim201, Hacker News
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, Hacker News
"It is a disgrace how Google has managed this situation. The promised 'advanced flow' hasn't appeared in any Android 16 or 17 betas. Google is quietly proceeding with the original lockdown."
fermigier, Hacker News
"Google'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
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, Lemmy
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
Ohlasy petície
"Im an adult. I paid for a device based on the promise of features. If I wanted someone to hold my hand while im online I'd get an iPhone or hire a state nurse to watch me. Really this is small, but a first step toward total control from big companies, good luck being an independent developer or whatever in the future when no one can download you stuff bc Google said so. And, as a consumer, think of all the good crowd funded and indie games and products that come out and rival if not demolish the big companies. This is how they stop that, dont let them. "
Ryan, change.org
"Please, allow for users to make exceptions or some other control, keep Android flexible. "
Boris, change.org
"I am concerned for my privacy with this change. I chose Android under the impression that I can customize my device in ways that can help me protect my online privacy. That's something that can't be said for Apple. The decision to change Android to a closed system is going to hurt people like me who care about online privacy. Google, You're not helping your customer base by doing this. Only making them more likely to switch to iphones or flip phones. This is not the Android I've always known, It's another platform falling into the proprietary capitalism that a significant amount of the android customer base has been trying to steer away from since the early days of smartphones. "
Patience, change.org
"Keep Android from being like Apple controlling every aspect of what can be installed or not, that's why i don't own iPhones never will. If android is going in the same direction ill get a flip phone I don't need big brother telling me what i can do or can't on my phone, i worked hard to pay for! in the name of safety always same bullshit excuse when they want to violate people's rights... "
melvyn, change.org
"Sideloading? I call it installing! We own these phones, not you! The reason we buy Android is not simply the 'AI Features', but because it isn't as dystopian as iOS. Android has been about giving the user the choice on what apps they personally want, and to customize what they prefer. Google has been slowly taking it away from us, and they can't do this anymore! This is the final straw! "
William, change.org
"Honestly with having used Android multiple times throughout my life, platforms like F-Droid have provided me with some very good open source applications and I'd hate to see that go away. "
Lucas, 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 don’t want a walled garden on android like iOS it sucks "
Caleb, change.org
"Having the ability to own your phone and use it as you wish is the ONLY reason I have used Android over Iphone for years "
Matthew, change.org
"Android promised us a choice. We shouldn't let them take it away from users and developers alike just to have more control. "
Cross, change.org
"If google does go through with this I will do everything in my power to convince anyone with an android or google service to stop using it. "
James, change.org
"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
"As a regular user of Android, I've always loved the freedom that Android gave me when it came to downloading apps and APKs. I've never had an issue with Android up until now. This policy is going to be restricting and a violation of the digital rights of both consumers and the creators. This does not protect anybody in the equation, and if this policy goes through then I will not use Android services anymore. Google, please hear our voices and do not go through with this. You will lose many supporters if you do. "
Simon, change.org
"Penuit butter "
Dylan, change.org
"I have used my own, or other developers' custom APKs in the past, and do not want to be locked into app store(s) only! "
Collin, change.org
"People use Android to have more freedom, if you restrict it as much as possible, what is the point in using it? If it gets too bad, I'll look into alternatives and will swich if there is anything else good enough. "
Ross, change.org
"As someone who writes and uses my own APKs to make my device even more useful to me, this lockdown would be a deal breaker for my use of the Google Android platform "
Luke, change.org
"The sole reason one would choose Android over Apple was because Android uniquely treated their users as Users, not Customers, or Idiots. To take the very core ethos of what appealed to consumers and destroy it in some short-sighted power-grab is insane. "
Josh, change.org
"The sooner this is allowed the sooner our country is gone for good. State control over personal devices will have gone too far. "
April, change.org
"if this goes ahead I will simply refuse to use Android and move to a linux 'phone. "
Graham, change.org
"well ima an artist and i dont have much money wich mean i cant even afford to even exist sometimes but using open source tools and side loading allows me to even have a chance to compete e end with other artists who may be alot more wealthy or privlaged .not only that its my right as Amarican citizen since the first amendment i have every right to free speach and self expression and to extension the Bible as a divine right giving to me as a human being from god him self and every other living thing on this eath across the world and even the universe if you will.my freedom mean i have a chance if you take that way that make things harder for everyone not just the ones that already had nothing. ppl are willing to do so much if you give them even the smallest chance if it mean achieving there dreams so ,plz reconsider. as some one whos used google practically for evey single input in there os its turned me into someone better then even i could imagine and bough me so much hope. i think it would break my heart if you didn't. "
light, change.org
"Forcing developers to pay fees and hand over identifying documentation will never be the solution to malware. It creates opportunities for censorship, removes one of the major reasons uses android over apple products. As a hobbyist developer, I do not wish to throw my identity left and right just to run my own app on my own phone that I have no intention of publishing. If I do, it would be open source for others to use and when the time comes that I wish to sell an app, sure I will register to the Google play store or any other store as needed. "
Christopher, change.org
"That cannot be allowed, it even attacks the freedom of all users who use Android, for years that has always been the case, therefore, making that change, It would result in a catastrophic situation for many users, including Google itself, with many losses in every sense. "
Javier, change.org
"If I wanted a phone that decided what I can and can't do I would have bought an iPhone. "
Tom, change.org
"Silly choice. A large chunk of Android users will definitely switch to Apple with changes like this. "
Kai, change.org
"not cool google "
Colin, change.org
"This will affect corporate privacy for those that rely on FOSS. Personal and Business privacy will be even more at risk if these changes are applied. From the Conglomerate owner to the DIY hobbyist, we will all be affected only negatively by this. So much of the world relies and depends of FOSS, and with the already dying privacy, many people are going to be literally put at risk of injury or cessation of life because of these changes. No this isn't an overstatement, I'm serious. The amount of NDIS and NDIA workers that use FOSS to protect their clients and their information is staggering. And this will effectively cause them to provide a lower quality service. "
Tobias, change.org
"I use apk's for work don't ban apk "
Binyomin, change.org
"Google you suck ass. the whole point of Android is freedom. you're going to destroy so much and anger so many people if you do this 3 do it on pixel n ChromeOS or whatever but leave everything else alone you're ruining something beautiful "
liam, change.org
"Funny how a principle as straightforward as “don’t be evil” can still turn out to be surprisingly difficult to live up to. "
JV, change.org
"Isn't the whole purpose of Android yo be open source? Where's that going to Google? Get your s**t together "
Jarred, 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've always like Google for supporting open source. If Google doesn't not support open source who will? Come Google please keep being advocate of open source. I don't mind all the tracking Google does as long as they support open source "
allan, change.org
"Rules requiring app developers to pay Google and submit identification documents undermines Android as free and open source software and further exposes Google for the greedy, controlling corporate entity it is, now so far away from it's original "don't be evil" ethos. Privacy concerns about what happens when identification information is exposed have no value to them, and the chilling effect this will have on everyone from minor students learning to develop apps to developers surveilled by their governments will ruin the internet even more than it already has. "
Mary, change.org
"Android is all about being open. Removing the ability to install apps without the play store destroys this freedom. This will kill the dreams of young app developers, and will hurt high-quality open source apps that don't have the funding to pay to Google. This move will stifle app development innovation, and will hurt users by removing choice. Without free choice, I am left asking the question "Why Android anymore?" If Android is locked down like IOS, maybe going with Apple is better. I hope I don't have to switch to IOS. "
Austin, change.org
"You pay all this money, over a $1000 dollars for a topshelf phones but yet it still isn't yours to do with as you please. This is just another example of corporations taking away your freedoms to choose. "
James, change.org
"Google is making this change for control not for security. these changes will give Google sole control over who can create apps for their platform and by extension it means they have complete control over what apps are allowed. In short this is censorship. "
Drake, change.org
"This is an outrageous monopolizing effort that not only chokes out competition and a healthy ecosystem for application development, it also is hugely concerning from a security perspective. One entire company should NOT have control over everything. Google has grown far too large, and history has taught us that large corporations are obscenely corrupt and controlling of people's safety, freedom, and wellbeing. This cannot go unchecked. "
Sarah, change.org
"Goolag, you are destroying Android and becoming the new Apple. Soon, there will be no escape from your lifeless, locked-down, prison-sentence operating system. Anyone who wants to use real Android, with APKs, custom ROMs, actual Material design, will be locked out. Rooting will be impossible, and Android will be gone. No more cuddly bugdroids to open the lock. No more Graphene OS. No more Lineage OS. No more TWRP. Terabytes upon terabytes of open-source projects, all rendered obsolete. Keep Android open. Because nobody will buy your half-baked, Gemini-centered trash, and live in your dystopian agentic world. Your aiPhones will sit on shelves, never purchased. Sideloading bans will not protect anyone. They will only make the Android community collapse. If you are not from Goolag, listen carefully. Get a custom ROM now, and remove everything with the word “Google” from your devices. Use Startpage instead. Install NewPipe and bypass Goolag’s ad revenue. Sabotage Goolag in every way possible. But do it legally, friends! You don’t want to be caught by the FBI for criminally pirating paid software off of sites like Aptoide! "
squooshy, change.org
"This is the entire point of many people using Android in the first place, you take this away and something new will come along and replace you. "
Jacob, change.org
"Android for me has always been the freedom to choose. The right to find alternatives that won't actively gather my information. I want to keep my freedom. I trust my open source small developers more than I trust corporations who put profit over my rights. "
Yeshua, 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 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
"As the market stands the whole point of having an Android device over an iPhone is that you have more freedom over your device. Android is secure. Any claim that this change is for security is a farce. Unwitting users are not downloading random malicious APKs and then clicking through warnings to install them. It just is a non-existent problem. This change is about Google seizing power for personal gain. It's remarkably short sighted and foolish. If they're going to get rid of developer and subsequently user freedom then there's no reason to stay with Android/Google. I don't like Apple, but they already do security and privacy better and are in all other ways comparable. Google has had no claim to any kind of morality for quite some time, but with this move they are now so greedy and so stupid that they're actively working against their own interests. "
Steven, change.org
"I buy android to be able to customize my phone as I please. If you do this you lose a loyal customer of over 20 years. "
Jamell, change.org
"I am not a developer, just a regular apk user, and the fact that google is trying to remove a vital part of android is crazy "
Gilberto David, change.org
"I’m not even a developer, but this whole Google lockdown thing ticks me off. The reason I went with Android was freedom — being able to choose where I get my apps, try stuff from outside the Play Store, and actually use my phone how I want. Now Google’s trying to turn it into another Apple-style cage. If they force everything through the Play Store, it’s not just developers that get screwed. We do too. Prices will go up because Google takes its cut, and half the cool niche or indie apps will disappear. I shouldn’t have to beg permission to install something from GitHub or F-Droid. It’s my phone, I paid for it — not some rental Google gets to control. This isn’t about safety or quality, it’s straight-up greed. Android was always the “open” option, and Google’s throwing that away. "
Jared, change.org
"google, queremos continuar livres! "
Vitor, change.org
"Android users should really be given options for how to use their devices. It's unfair that they want to limit us after having given us so much freedom. While I understand it's to protect users, this measure affects independent developers, and even worse, forcing them to use Face ID exposes their faces to potential hacking and data leaks, since this is nothing new. I really hope this reaches more people and that they sign to try to show the community's discontent. "
León 999, 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
"Android, if you are going to be just like Apple, I think many might as well just switch to Apple devices..... Please reconsider "
Kaleonahe, change.org
"Keep android free and open or a lot of people will revolt. Developers and users alike. Don't be horrible. Keep it open. "
Gregory, change.org
"By closing up android to block other app stores and sources of software you're destroying what makes android great. Free Software was used to build your company and you vowed to "Not be Evil". Now that you're in a position of market dominance you have a big choice to make. You can keep Free Software working for everyone as the steward of Android and make sure that your product doesn't get worse. Please don't take the coward's way out, claiming that this is to protect users. Those that would trade freedom for security deserve neither! "
Glen, change.org
"Android should be a free platform, thats why it exists, taking this away is creating a monopoly that Apple has created and has also gotten in trouble for in the EU for consumer rights "
William, change.org
"Inaceitável "
Daniel, change.org
"This new policy is absurd and should never go into effect. Android's "openness" has always been a big selling point, and now they are trying to take that from everyone. "
Leonardo, change.org
"We need to stop Google controlling us. "
Carmen, 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
"Enough freedoms have been taken away, so leave the tech ALONE!!! "
John, change.org
"Keep android open the main reason I got android is because it's open sourced do not close off android "
Patrick, change.org
"I prefer Andriod because of the freedom to install applications from web and altrenative stores other than Play Store. I've lots of apps that I use on daily basis which were downloaded from F-driod and web. Side loading applications is what makes Andriod better than iOS. Don't take away feature that which makes Andriod Cool and Amazing. "
Zupher, change.org
"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
"The whole point of Android is to give the user the freedom to use their phone in and way they want. To limit that freedom will only cause users to resent and stop using android. Hopefully they reverse this choice. "
Eduardo, change.org
"are we really trying to iOs android? why are we trying to be the competition? if this occurs, android will LOSE so many users "
Ronin, change.org
"KEEP ANDROID OPEN SOURCE "
Tomica, change.org
"I switched to Android for my freedom to install apps. Now that the threat of app verification is looming over us, If this goes through, Android will no longer have a place in my life. Continue to allow (free and fair) APK installs! "
Sebastian, change.org
"Google always voiced themselves as the "Open Platform" in direct competition with Apple. With the lockdown happening, there is no more competition. It's either "isolated OS" or "fellow isolated OS". In today's day and age, especially, the people value and are drawn to the ability to make their own choices without the difficulties and frustrations of being restricted and banned from doing something. It's *why* so many people switched to Android/ Google devices, and *why* so many Android/Google users *refuse* to use Apple products. The lockdown is just creating another Apple under a different company. "
Amelia, change.org
"Please dont let die the FOSS community and github hobby projects. "
Nondibianno Ambar, change.org
"Android has always been the free alternative to iOS’s restrictions. Without the freedom we’ve come to understand, what’s the draw to this OS? I’ve had some interest in small app development, but if this goes through it will kill that interest dead. "
Katylyn, change.org
"Top muito bom "
Paulo, change.org
"Android began as the open-source, mod-friendly underdog in the cell phone market years ago. I watched it as it grew into a thriving scene where we could brag to our Apple-loyal friends about the freedom we had in our platform, the platform we bolstered up and supported and went against the culture at the time to get behind. Over time, it's become less and less free and open; locking bootloaders, denying permission to access all of the storage we pay for on our devices, penalizing power users who root their phones by disabling basic functionality, and now that their Play Store monopoly has been called out for what it is Google, so desperately in need of more money than they earn from collecting and selling all of our private data to finance their AI ambitions, which are trained on all of our data in the first place, is locking down the user's ability to control how they can utilize the device they own even further, just so they can have a say (and a fee collected) in every application that others produce for what used to be a truly open-source platform. It's disgusting how for ensh*tification has gone. These are Our devices. We pay for them. They are ours to have to replace, to finance, to insure, to charge, and to use. You should have a say in literally every single aspect of how they're used, and exploiting small developers under the guise of "security" is just pathetic. "
Sheldon, change.org
"this will kill the freedom that android provides and will make you lose a lot of customers you're gonna lose a ton of money from this stupid change "
Jimmy, change.org
"I support identity verification for those who wish to register, but do not support restricting consumers’ ability to install software that they want to. "
Roke, change.org
"Our phone, our rights. Open source is freedom. We will not comply, we will turn to alternatives. "
Foghorne, change.org
"One of the core principals of Android has been consumer choice. Especially in the current day, it's more important than ever that the consumer can choose where to get their software from. As a developer myself, I do not want to and WILL NOT sign up for the developer verification program, as Google has no right to tell me what I can do with my device. I do not trust any company to keep me safe, and especially not when they're overreaching into the personal lives and choices of the everyday user. Even from a consumer quality of life perspective, this change is hugely detrimental. Google Play is infested with ads, bad faith apps, sponsorships, and so much more I do not want to see. Alternative storefronts give users the choice to avoid clunky, nasty pieces of software and choose what workflow is best for them. I beg, please reconsider this choice and keep consumer's rights intact. "
Alexander, change.org
"Keep android open "
Charlotte, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom. "
ben, change.org
"You know, I'm pretty much the only person in my immediate friend group that doesn't have an iPhone. If android turns into just another version of iOS then what's stopping me from just going ahead and getting the iPhone to be in their ecosystem? Nothing. Wouldnt it be easier for me to just be the same as them if there's nothing better about android? "
Danielle, change.org
"Bro this is the only thing keeping android over iOS don't take it "
Alejandro, change.org
"Locking down android will create incredible friction to open source and 3rd party application stores. Imagine if you could only install PC programs from Microsoft Store. "
Andres, change.org
"As an evil, evil man, I despise google because they are worse. Thus, I of then times look at this website and sign all the petitions against google. Amen brother man "
David, change.org
"Don't be evil "
Qihang, change.org
"It started with apple restricting our freedoms to software due to their desire to control their users. Now that same desire to control us has reached android a platform built on freedom. This is the final stance we can take against a future where you own nothing in the name of safety. "
Barrett, change.org
"They never let us have nice things, i hope we win. "
Victor, change.org
"I should be allowed to make my own decisions about what I want to install on my device, smartphones nowadays are basically pocket computers and the ability to install apps from any source is by far the biggest reason I chose Android over iOS. Only being able to install apps from verified developers also gives power to Google to censor apps they don't like. "
Ryan, change.org
"Please keep android open!!! That's why I have an android phone in the first place. "
Michael, 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
"Many of the apps I use daily are FOSS. I would lose a very large portion of the functionality of my phone without them. Some have alternatives available in the Play Store, and some do not. Even for the ones that do have available alternatives, they are measurably worse - crowded with advertisements that make them unusable until you pay (usually a subscription) for the "Pro" version. Then, when the developer stops making enough money, the app breaks and/or disappears from the store. Many of the FOSS apps I use also do exactly what I need, where their alternatives require workarounds or focus on some additional "feature" that I couldn't care less about. There are also several apps that I acquired outside the Play Store that legitimately don't have alternatives, either because they have to violate the rules of the Play Store to function properly, or because the developer believes, as I do, that good software doesn't rely on the existence of a market to function. "
Zachery, change.org
"We need to stop the "APPLE-FICATION" of our beloved ANDROID. We have supported Android & Google since it's beautiful inception, to stick it to EVIL BIG CORPS. LIKE APPLE. The act of PREVENTING us from installing APK's or other OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE, is a direct BETRAYAL of us LOYAL USERS of the ANDROID OS. A YUUGE SLAP in the face with 20+ years worth of power behind it. This act maybe not be coming until 2027.... Regardless, this will affect lots of Devs., Users, and others in the ecosystem that prefer to not use the "Play Store" to obtain their apps, and don't Agree with the way that Apple treats it's customers & doesn't want Android to become a company that continually oversteps it's boundaries, & HAS PUT PROFIT OVER PEOPLE SINCE IT'S INCEPTION. ANDROID started as the O.S. of the people, made by an Alliance of Companies, that know how to treat their customers and constantly listened to Android Users, in regards to features and other things that were requested after every update. This is how we have Arrived @ the current version. After countless features added, bug fixes and years of us buying devices with Androids O.S. '27 might be the last year that MILLIONS OF LOYAL ANDROID users turn their backs on the operating system & move on to other Operating Systems that don't want to treat us like children under the guise of "SAFETY".... PLS MAKE SURE TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND ASK THEM TO SHARE AS WELL! OUR LITERAL DIGITAL FREEDOM & PREVENTING ANDROID FROM BECOMING EVERYTHING THEY WERE AGAINST IN THE BEGINNING IS IN OUR HANDS. WILL THIS PETITION WORK? WHO KNOWS. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE THEIR MINDS ON RECLAIMING ALL THE LOST REVENUE FROM FREE APPS, ALT OPERATING SYSTEMS, AND CRACKED APPS/GAMES. Apple has prevented cracked App from the start, that led many ppl to switch to Android after they started bricking JAIL BROKEN iPhones. This might happen with Android as well, nobody wants a bricked Android just because we don't agree with paying between $3 &$9, in order to not get AD's every time that you start a new level on a game, every 3 minutes, every time you open the app, or being restricted from certain functions that only work with the "FULL" Version of the App. PLS ANDROID DON'T TURN INTO APPLE. Remember the motto that you based your whole system on "DON'T BE EVIL"... Leave that to Apple and their sheep users that allow themselves to be controlled by an evil corp. "
Brian, change.org
"Android giving users choice has been the staple point of android OS. Removing choices like sideloading apps is not the move. I develop apps for myself, I do not want to be "an approved developer" I don't have time nor care for that. This action also is the beginning of censorship, and monopolization of android OS. Android started as an open operating system, you have simply turned it into a reskinned Apple OS. Your choice to go anti-consumer is going to hurt. You are not "protecting" anyone. ~Seth "
Nathan, change.org
"Android is built on the Linux kernel and owes much of its foundation to the GNU/Linux ecosystem. The spirit of that ecosystem is openness, transparency, and user freedom. Limiting APK installation beyond reasonable security safeguards risks turning Android into a controlled ecosystem rather than an open platform. Security improvements are important, but they should not come at the cost of developer independence, open-source distribution, and user freedom to install software responsibly. Instead of restricting APK usage, a better approach would be improving user education, providing clearer and more transparent warnings, and offering optional security layers that protect users without limiting their freedom. "
Alireza, change.org
"Google, this is NOT acceptable. You are NOT the gatekeepers of development. You ARE BEING EVIL. "
David, change.org
"The reason I use Andoid is because of its openess, I would not be using a Samsung or Google device if it didn't mean I could download and boot my own OS or developp my own apps for fun without having to jump through hoops. I also use APKs on the regular because they allow better backwards compatibility with older versions of Android and ease of installation. FOSS for the win. "
Nico, change.org
"One of the main reasons i bought a Android device was to sideload apps, but now with this update, it seems as if I should have got an Iphone instead. ��� "
Aarav, change.org
"I care about digital freedom because the digital world should have the same freedoms as the real world. "
Anabel, change.org
"It's serious that Android is doing this to those who make independent games, or stealing our data under the guise of security. I want to speak out because this is unfair. "
Cesar, change.org
"This policy would put developers at risk. This isn't safety, it's censorship. "
Teagan, change.org
"I choose android for freedom of customisation. I know the risks, I'm not silly. People will jailbreak this but I want Google to understand that it's users are intelligent "
Michael, change.org
"Android users should be able develop and install whatever software they want on their devices without approval from Google. The promise of Android — and a marketing advantage it has used to distinguish itself against the iPhone — has always been that it is “open”. But Google clearly feels that they have enough of a lock on the Android ecosystem, along with sufficient regulatory capture, that they can now jettison this principle with prejudice and impunity. "
Ray, change.org
"I've been an Android user since the start of my career and the whole reason I chose it is the freedom — to set it up how I want and load what I want. Locking it down just turns it into another Apple, and if I wanted that I'd have an iPhone. The small developers are where the real innovation comes from, and cutting them out kills that. Don't ruin what makes Android the best. Don't fix what isn't broken. Keep Android open. "
Mike, change.org