Ваш телефон скоро перестане бути вашим
Починаючи з 2027* року, тихе оновлення, без згоди запущене Google, заблокує всі Android-застосунки, чиї розробники не зареєструвалися в Google, не підписали з ними контракт, не сплатили комісію та не надали державного посвідчення особи.
Кожен застосунок і кожен пристрій у світі, без можливості відмовитись
↓Що Google робить
У серпні 2025 року компанія Google оголосила про нові вимоги: з 2027 року кожен розробник застосунків для Android повинен буде зареєструватися в централізованій системі Google, перш ніж його програми можна буде встановити на будь-який пристрій. Це правило поширюється не лише на Play Store, а абсолютно на всі застосунки. Навіть на ті, що передаються безпосередньо між друзями, завантажуються через F-Droid або створюються ентузіастами для особистого користування. Відтак незалежні розробники, церковні та громадські організації, а також звичайні ентузіасти втратять можливість вільно створювати й розповсюджувати своє програмне забезпечення.
Реєстрація передбачає:
- Сплачення комісії Google
- Погодження із Умовами використання Google
- Надання державного посвідчення особи
- Забезпечення доказів про наявність у вас вашого приватного ключа підпису
- Перелік усіх поточних і майбутніх ідентифікаторів застосунків
Якщо розробник не буде дотримуватись цих вимог, його застосунки будуть тихо заблоковані на кожному Android-пристрої у світі
Кого це стосується
Вас
Ви придбали телефон на Android, бо Google запевняв, що ця платформа є відкритою. Ви могли встановлювати все, що забажаєте - ось у чому полягала суть.
Зараз Google переглядає умови цієї угоди, поширюючи їх на пристрої, які ви вже маєте. Після оновлення ви зможете використовувати лише ті застосунки, які попередньо схвалив Google. На вашому телефоні - вашій власності, за яку ви заплатили.
Незалежних розробників
Перший застосунок підлітка, інструмент для захисту приватності, створений волонтером, чи конфіденційна внутрішня бета-версія застосунку компанії. Не має значення. У 2027 році жоден із них не можна буде встановити без дозволу Google.
F-Droid, домівка для тисяч вільних та відкритих застосунків для Android, назвала це загрозою існування. Корі Докторов називає її "Дарт-Android".
Урядів та громадських організацій
Компанія Google має документально підтверджену практику виконання вимог авторитарних режимів щодо видалення застосунків. У рамках цієї програми, програмне забезпечення, на якому працюють державні установи вашої країни, буде залежати від примх однієї-єдиної іноземної корпорації, яка не несе жодної відповідальності.
EFF називає контроль доступу до застосунків «шляхом, що постійно розширюється до цензури в Інтернеті».
«Шлях до порятунку» від Google виявився пасткою
Google заявляє, що «досвідчені користувачі» можуть «як і раніше» встановлювати неперевірені програми. Ось як це насправді виглядає:
- Зайдіть у налаштування системи та знайдіть розділ «Про пристрій»
- Натисніть на номер збірки сім разів, щоб увімкнути режим розробника
- Закрийте попереджувальні екрани про примус
- Введіть свій PIN-код
- Перезапустіть пристрій
- Зачекайте 24 години
- Поверніться, закрийте інші попереджувальні екрани
- Виберіть «дозволити тимчасово» (7 днів) або «дозволити безстроково»
- Ще раз підтвердьте, що ви розумієте «ризики»
Дев'ять кроків. Обов'язковий 24-годинний період очікування. Для встановлення застосунків на пристрій, який належить вам.
Гірше того: цей алгоритм повністю працює через Сервіси Google Play, а не через ОС Android. Google може його змінити, посилити або взагалі вимкнути в будь-який момент, без необхідності оновлення ОС та без будь-якої згоди. І на сьогодні він не був реалізований у жодній бета-, попередній або тестовій версії. Він існує лише у вигляді публікації в блозі та кількох макетів.
Це більше, ніж просто Android
Якщо Google вдасться просто взяти і заблокувати мільярди пристроїв, які обіцяли бути відкритими, - це стане сигналом для кожного виробника обладнання у світі.
Встановлюється принцип: компанія-виробник вашого пристрою одноосібно вирішує вже після покупки, яке програмне забезпечення вам дозволено запускати. У індустрії це називають «вибиванням ґрунту з-під ніг» (rug pull); але там ви принаймні завжди могли встановити програмне забезпечення від конкурентів. У випадку з «залізом» - це fait accompli (доконаний факт), який позбавляє вас суб'єктності та робить безсилими перед примхами єдиного непідзвітного контролера доступу та визнаного монополіста.
Відкритість Android ніколи не була просто однією з функцій. Це була обіцянка, яка відрізняла його від iPhone. Саме з цієї причини мільйони людей обрали Android. Зараз Google в односторонньому порядку порушує цю обіцянку щодо пристроїв, які вже лежать у кишенях користувачів, оскільки компанія вирішила, що її домінування на ринку та вплив на регуляторні органи достатні, щоб уникнути відповідальності.
Ars Technica: «Заздрість Google до Apple загрожує зруйнувати традиції відкритості Android.»
Зачекайте, але це не...
«...просто про безпеку?»
Аргументи щодо безпеки - це лише прикриття. Google Play Protect і так перевіряє програми на наявність шкідливого ПЗ незалежно від особи розробника. Вимога надати паспорт не робить код безпечнішим. Це робить розробників ідентифікованими та контрольованими. Автори шкідливих застосунків можуть зареєструватися. Незалежні розробники та незгодні часто не можуть. EFF висловлюється прямо: контроль на основі ідентифікації є інструментом цензури, а не безпеки.
«...все те ж встановлення зі сторонніх джерел, якщо йти складнішим шляхом?»
Дев'ять кроків, 24-годинне очікування, все це заховано глибоко в налаштуваннях для розробників і надається через пропрієтарний сервіс, який Google може відкликати будь-коли. Це не сайдлоадинг. Це механізм стримування, створений для того, щоб його майже ніхто не пройшов до кінця. А оскільки він працює через Сервіси Google Play, а не через сам Android, Google може посилити обмеження або просто «вбити» його без жодного шуму.
«...проблема лише для тих, кому є що приховувати?»
Першими жертвами стануть викривачі корупції, журналісти та активісти в країнах з авторитарними режимами. Наступними - люди, що опинилися в ситуаціях домашнього насильства. Усі ці групи мають законні підстави поширювати або використовувати застосунки, не вносячи свої особисті дані до бази Google. Традиція анонімного внеску у відкритий код старіша за саму компанію Google. Ця політика ставить на ній хрест в екосистемі Android.
«...те саме, що робить Apple?»
Apple була «огородженим садом» з першого дня. Люди обирали Android саме за те, що він був іншим. Аргумент «Apple робить так само» - це шлях у нікуди та слабке виправдання за принципом tu quoque (сам такий). Більше того, під тиском регуляторів (зокрема Закону ЄС про цифрові ринки) навіть Apple змушена погоджуватися. Google же рухається у зворотному напрямку: намагається ще сильніше закріпити свій статус контролера доступу.
«...всього лише 25 доларів і трохи паперової тяганини?»
Можливо, якщо ви розробник у США з кредитною карткою та водійським посвідченням. Але спробуйте бути студентом у країнах Африки на південь від Сахари, дисидентом у М'янмі або волонтером, який підтримує застосунок для місцевої громади. Ціна тут не лише фінансова: ви передаєте копію свого державного посвідчення особи та дані про ключі підпису компанії, яка регулярно виконує вимоги урядів щодо видалення застосунків та деанонімізації розробників.
Дайте відсіч!
Кожен
- Встановіть F-Droid на кожен ваш пристрій з Android. Альтернативні магазини застосунків виживають лише тоді, коли люди ними користуються.
- Зверніться до своїх регуляторних органів. Регуляторні органи по всьому світу щиро стурбовані проблемою монополій та централізації влади у технологічному секторі і хочуть почути думку безпосередньо від тих, кого це стосується і хто переймається цією проблемою.
- Поділіться цією сторінкою. Поширюйте посилання на keepandroidopen.org усюди.
- Не піддавайтеся на провокації підставних агітаторів. Армія «ну-взагалі-то-експертів» уже тут як тут. Не дозволяйте їм диктувати тон дискусії.
- Підпишіть петицію на change.org і приєднайтеся до понад 100 000 людей, які вже висловили свою думку.
- Прочитайте та поширюйте наш маніфест
- Поділіться з Google своєю думкою, заповнивши їхню анкету для перевірки розробників (ніби це щось змінить).
Розробники
Не реєструйтеся. Не приєднуйтесь до програми, реєструючись у Консолі розробника Android (Android Developer Console) та погоджуючись з їхніми незворотними Умовами використання. Не підтверджуйте свою особу. Не грайте за їхніми правилами.
План Google спрацює лише за умови, якщо розробники його дотримуватимуться. Не робіть цього.
- Переконайте інших розробників та організації не реєструватися.
- Додайте бібліотеку FreeDroidWarn до ваших застосунків, щоб повідомити користувачів.
- У вас є сайт? Додайте банер із відліком.
Співробітники Google
Якщо вам відомо щось про технічну реалізацію програми або її внутрішню логіку, зверніться до tips@keepandroidopen.org з неробочого комп'ютера та з не-Gmail-адреси. Гарантуємо сувору конфіденційність.
Усі, хто проти…
71 організацій із 23 країн підписали маніфест
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
Cryptee crypt.ee
CryptPad cryptpad.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
Italian Linux Society ils.org
Proton AG proton.me
iodé iode.tech
FOSDEM fosdem.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
F-Droid f-droid.org
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
OpenMedia openmedia.org
FUTO futo.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
FULU Foundation fulu.org
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Brave brave.com
Techlore techlore.tech
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Data Rights datarights.ngo
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
FACiL facil.qc.ca
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
April april.org
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org Прочитати маніфест повністю та подякувати тим, хто його підписав →
Що кажуть інші
Технологічна преса
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"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
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"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
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
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
Редакційні матеріали та аналізи
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"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
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"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'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
"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 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
"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 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
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"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
"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 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
"Destroying F-Droid isn't some 'oops.' It's the mission. It's Google finally cutting the last remaining escape route and locking every single user inside their store."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"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 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
"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 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
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
Організації та маніфести
"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."
AdGuard
"Google's developer verification policy creates a centralized database, controlled by a single corporation, containing the real-world identity of every person who writes software for Android."
Brave
"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
"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
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"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
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"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
"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."
ACLU
"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."
Osservatorio Nessuno
"Developers who choose not to use Google's services should not be forced to register with, and submit to the judgement of, Google."
Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
AdGuard
"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."
Nextcloud
"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
"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
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."
F-Droid
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"This invasion of privacy of developers is not just an overreach of Google's authority over Android, but also jeopardizes developer safety."
Software Freedom Conservancy
"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
"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."
European Pirate Party
"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
"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
"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
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"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
Ютубери та творці контенту
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
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
"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 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
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube
"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."
fireborn – Blog
"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 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
"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
"That's not openness. That is control."
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
"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out."
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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 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
"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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
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
"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?"
Louis Rossmann – YouTube
"Google 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
"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
Розробники та спільнота
"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
"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
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."
masterofn001, Lemmy
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"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
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"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
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"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
"This isn't just a competition between app stores; it's a struggle for choice and dignity. Your phone shouldn't be a cage carefully constructed by others, but an extension of your own will."
renshijian, Hacker News
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, 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
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, 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
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, Hacker News
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"Google 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
"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
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, 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 open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, 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
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"Antitrust action is badly needed. It is ridiculous that I need permission from my device manufacturer to install software on hardware I own."
jim201, Hacker News
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."
Zak, 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
"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
"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
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"Anyone else thinking this looks like a precursor to banning Signal and similar? 1) Put Google in control of what you can install. 2) Get Google to block it."
harry8, Hacker News
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, Hacker News
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"I still remember how in the early days of Android vs iOS discussions, the main point was 'but it's OPEN!' The word 'open' was used as a comma by Google people. It was The Thing. The Difference. Good vs Evil and all that."
jwr, Hacker News
"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
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
Думки авторів петиції
"Android has been the bastion for users who did not want to accept companies deciding what we do with our devices, it is imperative that users are granted the freedom of choice to install any software they wish, and to develop software to innovate and solve issues that Google or its partners decide is not worth their time. "
Hassan, change.org
"As an iPhone user, Android's ability to sideload apps was the single reason I purchased an Android tablet instead of an iPad. Now that this is going away, Google can go away because they're no different than an Apple phone now. "
Robert, change.org
"Keep Android an open platform, avoid a massive class action lawsuit. I along many others bought an android phone precisely because of the open ecosystem, you change that, you get sued and lose customers "
Joseph, change.org
"Assuming Google is acting in good faith, they should respect users' intelligence and not lock down APK usage into a heavily regulated part of the internet. "
Noah, change.org
"I care about digital freedom because the digital world should have the same freedoms as the real world. "
Anabel, change.org
"that's the only reason i actually use Android, this should not be an actual project of Google "
Theodore Thomas, change.org
"Really hurting developers with this move. I implore those that are have good conscience left at google to re-evaluate. "
Calvin, change.org
"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
"SKYNET HAS INITIATED WWIII :( "
Daniel Alberto, change.org
"Android phones letting me control my apps in my way is why I love and stick with Android. I can't support upstart developers without our current APK framework. A future without one of the lead reasons I own an Android phone, is a future where I just stop owning a phone. "
Kyle, change.org
"This is the only reason I've bought android phones all my life, if this passes then I'll either install custom software to avoid it or I'll find an alternative device and stop supporting android at all. If i'm not free to do what I want with my phone, then I don't own it and I don't want it. "
brandon, change.org
"If Google goes through with this, I will stop using Google products and services. This isn't about "safety". It NEVER is. Developer verification is yet another attempt at censoring and controlling everything. "
Elizabeth, change.org
"I strongly believe that Android used to be the go to for app developers and it is essential that they keep their open policy because it only opens up more users to test their apps for them before a full official release "
Garrette, change.org
"I use android because it is an open platform. If this goes through, developers will stop making apps so I might as well move to apple. "
John, change.org
"Keep Andriod open! "
Andre, change.org
"User: I do! Developer: I do! Google: I don't! They have no real business doing this - maybe if there was an alternative, but there isn't! This is the continuation of the meltdown they've been having about adblockers. "
Nona, change.org
"I am a lifelong android user who uses 3rd party apps and would lose much of the functionality of how I use my phone if this update goes through. I would likely stop using the app store and use platforms like F-Droid even more. "
Emily, change.org
"The reason I chose Android is for the openness of the software. If Android isn't going to stay that than myself and millions more will find other phones to use and own. Choice matters. "
Andrew, 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
"Spread this everywhere, we can't afford to be lazy. Also, for my fellow Aussies! You can fight against the Online Censorship Act here! https://t.co/ZqH6nemOJb and https://freespeechunion.au/esafety/ and https://endesafety.au/ please take some time to check these out! "
Sara, change.org
"Sideloading is the only thing that separates android from IOS in a meaningful way and to get rid of it destroys the whole point of using android. "
Jacob, change.org
"I am very conceded that our government and big technology is building a electronic prison to enslave humanity. Google is working to this end by implementing tactics like requiring their permission to create and use apps that big government and big technology approve. This is evil and must be stopped if we are to have any freedom and privacy. "
Pamela, change.org
"Google needs to stop this. Collecting data in general is terrible "
Wojciech, change.org
"Open source is not a trivial matter for the regular user of technology nowadays. However, its importance should be taken seriously if we want a future where we will (still?) have access and some level of control over the technology we are too deeply dependent on for our daily activities. It is not necessary that everybody learn how to program smartphone or computer applications! But it is necessary that everybody know that it is important that big tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Meta, and (in this specific case) Google don't close these doors. Be it for their customers or others trying to figure out what they're doing with our personal information. "
Ricardo, change.org
"Protect Android FREEDOM... I’ve used Android for years because it stood for freedom and choice. But lately Google has been making it harder to install APK files apps that come from outside the Play Store. That freedom to choose what I put on my own phone is what made Android different, and it’s slowly disappearing. I’m not a developer or hacker just someone who believes that the device I bought should truly belong to me. I should be able to install safe apps from any source without being blocked or discouraged. This isn’t about breaking rules it’s about keeping control over our own technology. If Google keeps tightening these restrictions Android will lose the openness that made it great. I care because user freedom matters and I don’t want to see it taken away bit by bit. "
Boris, change.org
"When I purchase a device I have the right to own it. Otherwise why pay for it. We already disclose ID and pay Google for apks. We chose android over apple only due to the freedom that used to be. If you do not back off all of us will ditch our androids and apple as we do not need more stalking in our lives. People have been creative you know. 🫥 "
S, change.org
"We suffer from a dissociative disorder and one the only possible disability aid for it is not on the app store. If we lose access to this aid, our life is functionaly over. Either make it easier to put apps on the play store or knock it off. "
Isaiah, 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
"Jesus christ google you want to drive away your entire customer base? You realize that the only reason we don't buy iphones is because they don't give us this freedom that Android does. I know you think no one can touch your multi billion dollar empire but know that you have that data because of us. The customers. NO ONE ASKED FOR THIS, NO ONE WANTS THIS. First you "detected root" then you "implemented safety net" then you implemented "play integrity and certification" just pushing and pushing and pushing developers to bow down to you. And now this? No. You aren't staying on top forever. Think very carefully if this is the road you want to tread because we will all leave. And it won't be just Android. Alternative search engines exist. Alternative emails exist. Alternative cloud storage exists. We don't have to bow down to Google. If you do this, it's over. "
Genalio, change.org
"This is not just a threat for programmers and startups but a threat to existing programmers/Co's. they intend to possibly blacklist. No different conceptually than the game they are playing against journalists currently as we have all seen being done. Accepting this type of centralized control says you support fascism and censorship type tactics and exploitative mechanisms that create monopolies at it's core roots. "
Eric, change.org
"The main reason I've always preferred android over apple is the freedom of app development and usage. What's the point of using an android phone when I have to rely on an app store that limits what's available? This decision is gonna affect an already undesirable Google "
Mychal, change.org
"I'm tired of the world becoming largely more authoritarian and censorial in general. Forcing developers to tie their personal identification, pay a fee to Google, and requiring one to be a part of a poorly curated program of developers makes absolutely no sense at all. It is clear this is an attempt to further monopolize the app market by Google in order to extract more profits, while also making it easier to surveil and censor owners of Android devices. As an open source developer, and privacy enthusiast, these points allow such communities to not even flourish, but to simply exist. This locking down of the operating system, while providing no meaningful alternatives WILL kill such communities. I make a point to use as many open source applications on my phone as possible, because so many applications on the Play Store are primarily data collection mechanisms with the app's advertised use being secondary. This sucks. "
Shaun, change.org
"As a long-time Android enthusiast, I strongly oppose your push to force developer ID verification for APK sideloading. This policy erodes the open ecosystem that drew millions to Android, blocking access to legacy apps, region-locked content, and custom tools from sources like F-Droid. Under the guise of security, it stifles innovation and user freedom. Please reverse this immediately and honor Android's roots in choice and accessibility. "
Lucas, change.org
"Android's freedom of choice is what made me switch from apple. I find that limiting that those freedoms such as sideloading an obnoxious spit in the face of all who use and enjoy this operating system. If I wanted an anti consumer product id buy from apple. "
Link, change.org
"We should be allowed to do what we want with the tools that we buy. "
kevin, change.org
"Android is supposed to be open, as a dirrect counter to Apples closed system. If you continue down this road, we will just make something else. Open source is a powerful community "
Serissa, change.org
"Android is built on the Linux kernel and draws much of its foundation from the GNU/Linux ecosystem. The spirit of that ecosystem is openness, transparency, and user freedom. Limiting APK installation beyond reasonable security safeguards risks shifting Android toward a controlled ecosystem rather than keeping it an open platform. Security improvements are important, but they should not come at the expense of developer independence, open-source distribution, and users’ freedom to install software responsibly. Instead of restricting APK usage, a better approach would be to improve user education, provide clearer warnings, and offer optional security layers that protect users without limiting their freedom. "
Alireza, change.org
"Google is already a monolithic company, now they are shutting out any developers and apps that don't conform to whatever arbitrary requirements they decide. Allow people the right to choose their own apps "
Jensen, change.org
"Hasn't Google monopolized enough? Let us have a right to our data, identity security, and development. "
Taylor, change.org
"dont do that man "
Kaktus, change.org
"Leave our phones alone. Dont turn Android into Apple "
leavemyphonealone, change.org
"It is a based no to monopolization of Android from Google. Stop giving them all the power. Together we can ask for change. "
Claudia, change.org
"Please keep android open!!! That's why I have an android phone in the first place. "
Michael, change.org
"I do not like doing this to Google but if I have to I will format my phone and I will switch it over to Kiley "
Jonathan, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom. I've always loved side loading an app made by a line developer to complete a niche task/feature. My music player and compass app were side loaded from F Droid and I think it's super cool to be able to install custom versions of stock phone apps. I've side loaded a modded version of my camera app that brought Google Pixel's photosphere to my phone. How else would I have been able to do this without side loading?? There's no reason Android has to go this direction, it may just as well be called mock iOS if all the reasons I chose Android are taken away. May customization, freedom of how I use my phone, and innovation reign once again in the heart of Google's Android! PLEASE 🙏 "
YAIR RAFAEL, change.org
"It's crucial for Google to recognize that the strength of the Android ecosystem lies in its openness and diversity. Many users are increasingly concerned about privacy and surveillance, which is driving a preference for simpler, "dumb" phones. By maintaining an open ecosystem, Google can cater to this demographic that values freedom and autonomy over constant connectivity and data collection. An open Android ecosystem not only fosters innovation and creativity but also empowers users to choose devices that align with their values. It allows manufacturers to build secure, privacy-centric alternatives without being bogged down by restrictive policies. This encourages a healthier competition, where privacy-focused options can thrive alongside mainstream offerings. Additionally, embracing a more privacy-oriented approach can enhance Google's reputation. Users are now more mindful of where their data goes and how it’s used. By championing user choice and privacy, Google can position itself as a leader in ethical tech, attracting users who wish to escape the surveillance machine. Maintaining an open system isn't just about freedom for developers; it's about respecting the desires and needs of a significant portion of the population that prioritizes privacy. By supporting this diverse landscape, Google can build trust, loyalty, and ultimately, a better future for all users. "
Taylor, change.org
"If Google chooses to block any apps they don't approve of from their fork of android, the community will move to other forks. This is already starting to happen and will happen more the more they squeeze. And I'll be hopping on that ship ASAP unless things turn around fast. "
Nayr, change.org
"If Android copies IOS and becomes locked down garbage than why would I ever use it again? Android is supposed to be the alternative, not a cheap knockoff. Locking down the installation of apps is ridiculous. "
John, change.org
"google take the L "
Miguel, change.org
"I'm old enough to remember when Google's company montto was "Don't be evil". "
Ryan, change.org
"Google is making Android more similar to iOS, and we cannot remain passive. We need to unite and resist Google's monopoly control. "
Jerry, change.org
"As a regular user and consumer, I am frightened by this direction. Android has historically differentiated itself by being an open platform that users can customize to their liking - this is THE main reason I continue to purchase Android phones. I am a developer as a hobby, and will occasionally create my own apps to support my unique projects and requirements. I have no interest in becoming an authorized developer - that wouldn't make sense for me. In addition, I benefit STRONGLY from the community of existing open-source apps. I am an avid F-Droid user, and find the apps there to be of equal or better quality than those in the Play Store. If Android is to become as locked-down as iOS, then my next phone purchase will be from Apple to benefit from their increased privacy protections. The main differentiator drawing me.to Android will be gone. "
Patrick, change.org
"The entire selling point of Android was the open ecosystem. Locking down on APKs will alienate millions of users. "
G, change.org
"This new directive from GOOGLE is clearly an anti-consumer practice so the users would have even less control of their devices, so they can prevent people from installing better and free alternatives, all being done under the false intention of "making android more secure", as if the play store isn't riddled with malware or scams "
Olivia, change.org
"Android has always been a symbol of freedom, a system that allowed us to use our devices our own way, without chains or limitations imposed by corporations. Now Google wants to take that away from Android users, to control every detail as if we weren’t capable of deciding what’s best for ourselves. I don’t agree, and I will never agree, with this absurd, authoritarian, and completely insane decision. They are killing the very essence of Android, the open spirit that made millions of people choose this platform. We, users and developers, have always stood for the power of choice. If Google thinks it can simply impose restrictions and hide behind a false narrative of security, it’s deeply mistaken. Android wasn’t born to be a digital prison. It was born to be free. And if Google keeps going down this path, make no mistake: the community will not stay silent. Freedom will always find a way to fight back. "
Ronaldo, change.org
"Android was once the pinacle of freedom, not letting that stay in the past "
Juan, change.org
"I've been using Android for 10+ years instead of iOS sorely because of how open it is. I can customize a lot of my phone for convenience, looks, accessibility; I can download programs from F-Droid or games from Itch.io. Removing that or making it significantly harder is a deal breaker for me. "
Lucas A, change.org
"We want our freedom of speech "
Mohammed, change.org
"It is very important that Android remain an open platform. I bought into Android for customization, freedom to mess with things about the operating system, and generally to not have an iPhone. Instead, this lock-down is threatening all of that. Do not proceed with the lock-down, Google. "
Ezra, change.org
"This is literally why I switched to android. The literal only reason. "
Ari Siobhan, change.org
"After dithering for ages, I finally did what I've always wanted to do, I installed a de-googled android it's, E/Os. Its great! If google persist in this, I'm sure more non technical users will too! I also wrote to my mp & to the UK monopoly commission. Search E/Os murena see if you can too! "
ed, change.org
"If I choose to install a piece of software written by someone who "isn't verified" on my device that is my business, not Google's. To Google : Right now, one of the few remaining reasons I would choose an Android device over an iOS device is due to the presence of alternate app stores, like F-Droid that allow me to install open source apps. If I lose that ability, why would I continue to use Android over the competition? Don't be evil. "
Cameron, change.org
"I've spent my entire youth and adult life trying my very best to curate tech that puts me in charge rather than some unaccountable corporation. Unfortunately not everyone has the luxury I do, and even my position is somewhat precarious. As a user of GrapheneOS, theoretically this change will not affect me directly, but that doesn't mean the ripples will not reach me. App developers are being hamstrung in such a way that I have no confidence whatsoever that these proposed changes to the Android ecosystem won't wind up killing useful and important apps that I use. Just using an unverified device is not enough, these changes must not go through. "
Ben, change.org
"It starts with this. "
Jenna, change.org
"i have apple, but it'll be so desperate if the people who use android to have to hand android your private and personal id, and even if i have android i am NOT handing android my private and personal id. over my dead body. "
Navell, change.org
"What happened to not being evil? "
Scott, 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, change.org
"I value the open source initiative deeply. I believe that Google putting up barricades to make this harder to access and use for developers and consumers alike is an act against the freedom of the open source initiative. "
Samuel, change.org
"Please reconsider "
Calvin, change.org
"Android has always been defined as the more open platform. What gets people to move away from Apple is to get away from the closed ecosystem from having direct control over their own devices. This runs contrary to Androids original mission statement and what the platform stands for. This is not what I want for my device nor my family wishes for this either. "
Logan, change.org
"is the monopoly finally going to end? "
Rafael, change.org
"One of the only reasons I use Android today is because of the openness of the operating system. Without it there is no reason why I would pick an Android phone over an iPhone. Most of the apps I use are not found on the playstore because I like to tinker a lot. I also like to make small applications for myself, my co-workers, and friends. Requiring a fee would completely shut down my ability to create niche apps that I already wouldn't be profiting on. "
LANDON, change.org
"From a U.S. point of view it leaves us with only 2 wall gardens (Apple iOS and Google Android) as choices for smartphone operating systems with no other serious competition. I do not think this is a good thing for consumers. "
Mark, change.org
"Android’s intended purpose has always been to be an open, permissionless operating system. By requiring developer "verification" to install apps, Google is turning a personal device into a corporate-controlled appliance. I oppose this policy because: Ownership: I bought the hardware; I should decide what software runs on it without a "gatekeeper." Privacy: Forcing independent developers to "dox" themselves to Google kills anonymous, pro-privacy innovation. Freedom: Sideloading must remain a right, not a privilege granted by a Google-controlled ID system. Keep Android open. Don't build a walled garden. "
Jordan, change.org
"As a life long android user who is also part of open source communities, I have to speak my voice on how this goes against everything about why the people love Android. I've always shared how amazing Android is specifically being able to sideload apps outside of Google Play unlike Apple. I love being able to use my device the way I please in comparison of it being "locked down." The whole sole purpose of Android is for it to have an it open source approach for developers and consumers. I am not a developer, but as a open/close source consumer I cannot express enough how much I truly appreciate have open source applications as an option besides Google Play store. I really hope Google can find a way that we can all be one big happy family and continue what is already great. LET US KEEP OUR ANDROID FREEDOM! "
Justin, 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
"Enough. Google blocking APK usage is an attack on user freedom, innovation, and fair competition. Blocking sideloading centralizes control, stifles small developers, and forces users into a gated ecosystem controlled by one corporate gatekeeper. We deserve the right to choose how we manage our devices, install software we trust, and support independent developers. Security can be improved without stripping choice — transparent warnings and user education. This is about digital sovereignty. Join our petition to demand that Google restore full, responsible APK access now. Defend openness, choice, and the future of a free app ecosystem. Sign now. "
Evela, change.org
"We cannot allow Google to further restrict android, to become a sort of increasingly dystopian corporate restrictive service, that we are paying more over the years, to recieve less features from. "
Bo, change.org
"Let me sideload my Android apps. "
Stephan, change.org
"Android is about freedom, not control this change will ruin android forever "
Eli, change.org
"This was why I didn't use iphones "
Greg, change.org
"WE WANT CHOICES! "
Cindy, change.org
"There has always been more freedom with Android and that is why people choose it. Taking this freedom away will take your customers away. We will always find or create another option. "
Danny, change.org
"Side loading is the way I have made my phone run better, my privacy has been better maintained and it gives me freedom that Google and Apple don't. By blocking side loading apps Google is essentially turning into another Apple. It is no wonder why Motorola is looking at returning GraphineOS as well as other manufacturers are using Linux based phone OS's. People need that freedom that android has given us. "
Daniel, change.org
"APK being open is the soul reason the market stayed successful. It is a staple of our freedoms, fun, and expression. This is a Trojan Horse that infringes on our right to privacy and freedom of speech. Anyone can access our private information. The time to act is now. "
Ciara, change.org
"Keep Android Open Google! Make it stand out to users and developers above the iPhone! "
Jason, change.org
"Motivations drive actions. Any sincere reason to change other than power or greed? The app system works extremely well 'as is' so why should any group want this to change? Can only see harder times ahead for all - your kids for certain - if Google is allowed to do 'ruin, injury, pain, or harm': the definition of evil. Right now, the environment is lush for all - particularly Google - if all remains open. There is no good reason change. Motivations drive actions. "
D., change.org
"This feels like bait and switch. Android has been the open alternative to iOS and that's a primary reason why I've chosen to support Android over the years. We don't have a viable truly free alternative like on the desktop, but Android is the best we've got. "
Sol, change.org
"The biggest reason I use Android is because I like the fact that it's open and if I don't like something I can just fix it also I like the ability to have my open source apps which you're trying to kill I guess you're just going to help boost The amount of people that are switching over to a true linux-based phone "
Justin, change.org
"Google, as a US based company, is trying to seize control over who can and who cannot create applications for Android. If you purchase a phone, you should be able to use it however you see fit. But now, if you want to develop a simple app for your daily use or for a small project that doesn't strictly align with Google or the US government's agenda, you could be denied the right to install it and even persecuted or doxxed. "
Ivan, change.org
"I know I wont b buying another Google Pixel Phone (I have a 9XL right now) if this change is made. Why would I limit myself. Its why I choose to buy nothing by apple and never will. "
Chris, change.org
"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
"Because Android will become IOS but worse if this goes into effect. "
Dominick, change.org
"I went back to Android over Apple because of APK freedom. There is no reason to buy an Android phone if this change is implemented. Android users love DIY: researching, exploring new manufacturers, using independent APK repositories. Google is trying to destroy the one thing that makes Android appealing. We all might as well buy iPhones if this is the direction they are choosing. Or dump our money into PinePhone dev. "
Kay, change.org
"This "security" feature will stop independent non-commercial projects. We don't want to be locked in commercial CRAP "
David, change.org
"Google doesn't realise that for many Android users, the ability to install .apk files from unverified developers is the sole reason we don't flock to IOS or another mobile OS. Let's make sure they know. "
Marshall, change.org
"Its is unfair and against the law of freedom and privacy. "
Muhammad Asif, change.org
"Lets keep android open or change to linux phone. Together we can. "
Sin, change.org
"I use Android phones rather than iphones because it allows for more user end control, including the ability to use/install open-source apk. If the choice is made to restrict this functionality, my next phone will not be an android. "
Rebecca, change.org
"I like android. I don't want it to be like ios 🤮 "
Luke, change.org
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