הטלפון שלך עומד להפסיק להיות שלך.

81 ימים עד להיסגרות

החל מספטמבר 2026, עדכון שקט, ש־Google תדחוף מבלי הסכמתך, יחסום כל יישום לאנדרואיד שהמפתחים שלו לא נרשמו אצל Google, חתמו על החוזה שלהם, שילמו, ומסרו להם את תעודת הזהות שלהם שהונפקה במשרדים הממשלתיים.

כל היישומים בכל המכשירים, בכל רחבי העולם, מבלי אפשרות לבטל את החסימה.

מה Google עושה

In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting September 2026, every Android app developer must register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on any device. Not just Play Store apps: all apps. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid, built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church and community groups, and hobbyists alike will all be frozen out of being able to develop and distribute their software.

ההרשמה דורשת:

אם מפתח מסוים לא נענה להנחיות, היישומים שלו ייחסמו בחשאי בכל מכשירי האנדרואיד בכל רחבי העולם.

במי זה פוגע

בך

You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was open. You could install what you wanted, and that was the deal.

Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you already own. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for.

במפתחים עצמאיים

בין אם זה היישום הראשון של הנער או הנערה, כלי הפרטיות הקהילתי, או תוכנית הביתא הסגורה חֶברה טכנולוגית. זה לא משנה. החל מספטמבר 2026, לא יהיה ניתן להתקין אף אחד מהיישומים האלה ללא אישורה של Google.

F-Droid, home to thousands of free and open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat. Cory Doctorow calls it "Darth Android".

Governments & civil society

Google has a documented track record of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.

The EFF calls app gatekeeping "an ever-expanding pathway to internet censorship."

Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:

  1. כניסה להגדרות המערכת ואיתור האפשרויות למפתחים
  2. Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
  3. Dismiss scare screens about coercion
  4. הקלדת קוד האימות האישי
  5. הפעלה מחדש של המכשיר
  6. המתנה של 24 שעות
  7. Come back, dismiss more scare screens
  8. Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"
  9. Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"

Nine steps. A mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period. For installing software on a device you own.

Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. Google can change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required and no consent needed. And as of today, it hasn't shipped in any beta, preview, or canary build. It exists only as a blog post and some mockups.

This is bigger than Android

If Google can retroactively lock down billions of devices that were sold as open platforms, every hardware manufacturer on the planet is watching.

The principle being established: the company that made your device gets to decide, after you've bought it, what software you're allowed to run. In software, this is called a "rug pull"; but at least you could always install competing software. In hardware, it is a fait accompli that strips you of your agency and renders you powerless to the whims of a single unaccountable gatekeeper and convicted monopolist.

Android's openness was never just a feature. It was the promise that distinguished it from iPhone. Millions chose Android for exactly that reason. Google is now revoking that promise unilaterally, on devices already in people's pockets, because they've decided they have enough market dominance and regulatory capture to get away with it.

Ars Technica: "Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy."

אבל רגע, האם זה לא...

"...פשוט משהו בנוגע לאבטחה?"

The security rationale is a smokescreen. Google Play Protect already scans for malware independent of developer identity. Requiring a government ID doesn't make code safer. It makes developers identifiable and controllable. Malware authors can register. Indie developers and dissidents often can't. The EFF is blunt: identity-based gatekeeping is a censorship tool, not a security one.

"...still sideloading if you use the advanced flow?"

Nine steps, 24-hour wait, buried in Developer Options, delivered through a proprietary service that Google can revoke whenever they want. That's not sideloading. That's a deterrence mechanism built to ensure almost nobody completes it. And since it runs through Play Services rather than the OS, Google can tighten or kill it silently.

"...only a problem if you have something to hide?"

Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists under authoritarian governments will be the first victims. People in domestic abuse situations are next. All these groups have legitimate reasons to distribute or use software without putting their legal identity in a Google database. Anonymous open-source contribution is a tradition older than Google itself. This policy ends it on Android.

"...the same thing Apple does?"

Apple has been a walled garden from day one. People chose Android because it was different. "Apple does it too" is a race to the bottom and a weak tu quoque argument. And under regulatory pressure (the EU's Digital Markets Act), even Apple is being forced to open up. Google is moving in the opposite direction: attempting to further entrench its gatekeeping status.

"...just $25 and some paperwork?"

Maybe, if you're a developer in the US with a credit card and a driver's license. Try being a student in sub-Saharan Africa, or a dissident in Myanmar, or a volunteer maintaining a community health app. The cost isn't only financial: you're surrendering government ID and evidence of your signing keys to a company that routinely complies with government demands to remove apps and expose developers.

נלחמים בחזרה

כולם

  • Install F-Droid on every Android device you own. Alternative stores only survive if people actually use them.
  • Contact your regulators. Regulators worldwide are genuinely concerned about monopolies and the centralization of power in the tech sector, and want to hear directly from individuals who are affected and concerned.
  • Share this page. Link to keepandroidopen.org everywhere.
  • Push back on astroturfers. The "well, actually..." crowd is out in force. Don't let them set the narrative.
  • Sign the change.org petition and join the over 100,000 signatories who have made their voices heard.
  • Read and share our open letter
  • Tell Google what you think of this through their own developer verification survey (for all the good that will do).

מפתחים

Do not sign up. Don't join the program by signing up for the Android Developer Console and agreeing to their irrevocable Terms and Conditions. Don't verify your identity. Don't play ball.

Google's plan only works if developers comply. Don't.

עובדי Google

If you know something about the program's technical implementation or internal rationale, contact tips@keepandroidopen.org from a non-work machine and a non-Gmail account. Strict confidence guaranteed.

All those opposed…

71 organizations from 23 countries have signed the open letter

IzzyOnDroid izzyondroid.org Cryptee crypt.ee Rocky Linux rockylinux.org ARTICLE 19 article19.org Molly molly.im The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu OW2 ow2.org Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au OpenMedia openmedia.org Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw GitHub Store github-store.org Nextcloud nextcloud.com Proton AG proton.me The Calyx Institute calyx.org epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org FUTO futo.org Open Web Advocacy open-web-advocacy.org JMP.chat jmp.chat Osservatorio Nessuno OdV osservatorionessuno.org XMPP Standards Foundation xmpp.org Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch The Tor Project torproject.org European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org Ghostery ghostery.com FULU Foundation fulu.org La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co microG microg.org Privacy Guides privacyguides.org Fastmail fastmail.com CryptPad cryptpad.org Brave brave.com /e/ Foundation e.foundation Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no Techlore techlore.tech LineageOS lineageos.org GNOME Foundation gnome.org iodé iode.tech The App Fair Project appfair.org Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com The Guardian Project guardianproject.info MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org Codeberg e.V. codeberg.org Italian Linux Society ils.org Tuta Mail tuta.com FACiL facil.qc.ca GrapheneOS Foundation grapheneos.org GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org The OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) osmfoundation.org VideoLAN videolan.org The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de KDE e.V. kde.org The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org Fedimedia fedimedia.it F-Droid f-droid.org FOSDEM fosdem.org UnifiedPush unifiedpush.org The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org April april.org The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org Aurora Store auroraoss.com The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org Data Rights datarights.ngo Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com Obtainium obtainium.imranr.dev AdGuard adguard.com Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

מה הם אומרים

Tech press

"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"

How-To Geek

"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"

TechCrunch

"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"

The Register

"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"

SlashGear

"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"

Tuta Blog

"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."

I-Programmer

"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"

Open Source For U

"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"

Datamation

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"

How-To Geek

"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"

How-To Geek

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine

"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"

XDA Developers

"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"

Benzinga

"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"

MakeUseOf

"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"

How-To Geek

"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"

Gizmochina

"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"

The Register

"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"

It's FOSS News

"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"

The Register

"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"

Ars Technica

"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."

Android Police

"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"

heise online

"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"

TechRepublic

"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"

Android Headlines

"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"

Ars Technica

"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"

Android Headlines

"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."

Thom Holwerda, OSnews

"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"

Techzine EU

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"

Cybernews

"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"

TechSpot

"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"

Tom's Guide

"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"

Tom's Guide

"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"

Techdirt

"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"

Slashdot

"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"

Android Headlines

"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"

9to5Google

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld

"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"

Bleeping Computer

"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"

Reclaim The Net

"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"

Infosecurity Magazine

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"

How-To Geek

"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"

How-To Geek

"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."

Hackaday

"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"

The Verge

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack

Editorials & analysis

ארגונים ועצומות פתוחות

"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."

F-Droid Open Letter

"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

"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."

Tuta

"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

"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

"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."

AdGuard

"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."

F-Droid

"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."

Nextcloud

"Google is turning Android into a walled garden monopoly. We must prevent it."

Osservatorio Nessuno

"We are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."

F-Droid

"This extends Google's gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role."

Open letter, over 67 signatory organizations

"Developers who 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

"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."

Tuta

"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."

AdGuard

"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

"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."

European Parliament

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"The European Pirate Party called for proportionate and transparent measures that ensure security without restricting innovation, limiting anonymity, or distorting competition."

European Pirate Party

"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

"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

"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

"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

"Forcing software creators into a centralized registration scheme is as egregious as forcing writers and artists to register with a central authority."

F-Droid

"Your Smartphone, Their Rules: How App Stores Enable Corporate-Government Censorship."

ACLU

"Unilaterally consolidating power to approve software into the hands of a single unaccountable corporation is a threat to digital sovereignty everywhere."

Nextcloud

"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"

Tech-ish Kenya

יוצרי תוכן וערוצי 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 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

"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 decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."

fireborn – Blog

"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"Google has been carefully watching from the sidelines to see what exactly it is that Apple can get away with."

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"Google 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

"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."

Tuta Blog – 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

"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

"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 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

"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."

Rob Braxman Tech – Locals

"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"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

"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 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

"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

"Android has become what they set out to destroy."

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"Google already can disable malware that they find on your device. It's already a built-in feature. So what is developer registration actually adding here? Is it security or control? You decide."

Techlore – YouTube

"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

"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

"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

"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 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

מפתחים וקהילה

"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

"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."

tejtm, 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 now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."

vala, Lemmy

"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

"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."

flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News

"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."

MrZander, Hacker News

"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."

Apocryphon, Hacker News

"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."

gumby271, Hacker News

"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"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 wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."

afferi300rina, 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

"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

"Antitrust action is badly needed. It is ridiculous that I need permission from my device manufacturer to install software on hardware I own."

jim201, Hacker News

"Google 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 open Android I knew and loved is long gone."

girvo, 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

"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

"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

"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."

layfellow, Hacker News

"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."

hbn, Hacker News

"The fundamental problem is that we are relying on the good graces of Google to keep Android open, despite the fact that it often runs contrary to their goals as a $4T for-profit behemoth. The 'don't be evil' days are very far behind us."

paxys, Hacker News

"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

"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."

gcupc, 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

"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."

anordal, Lobsters

"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."

survirtual, Hacker News

"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."

Max-P, 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

"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

"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

"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."

Zak, 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

"Once deployed, there's a near 100% chance of such a mechanism being used for evil."

Zak, Lemmy

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, Lemmy

"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

"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

"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

"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."

lynxy, 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

"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."

koala, Lobsters

"I want to deploy apps on my device. They are my apps, it's my device, and I should not be required to ask for permission to do so."

fsniper, Hacker News

"Computing is infrastructure. Personal computers are a means of expressing agency. This is like banning people from moving furniture around their house without approval from mortgage lenders."

wervenyt, Tildes

"Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won't give you a key, they're not doing it for your benefit."

vord (quoting Cory Doctorow), Tildes

"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

"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."

Tiraon, Tildes

"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."

TheTearMiser, Lemmy

"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."

WaffleMonster, Slashdot

"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

Voices from the petition

"I only choose Android because of the openness and flexibility in how I choose to use my device. Locking down Android with paid developer verification and blocking me from installing apps manually is not being open. "

Jason, change.org

"Google can not be allowed its voracious devouring of apps and data. Every move builds on its frightening monopoly, quashing any freedom and privacy. "

Kristi, change.org

"The whole reason I use an Android based device is for the freedom that comes with the phone. If I wanted to be governed by my cellphone manufacturer I would use an iPhone. "

Zachary, change.org

"I think that there should be access to install whatever you want on YOUR device, and use it how you want to. "

Jamison, change.org

"Android is one of two operating systems used by almost every smartphone and tablet in the US. While the iphone operating system has been a locked down platform for many years, if it indeed was ever open, android has been marketed as the consumer friendly alternative. However, with android moving to lock unregistered users out of it's ecosystem, that promise may soon disappear. When a consumer purchases an electronic device, it ought to be his or hers to do with as the owner pleases. This includes installing apps from places other than google's native play store. A lockdown like this is a blatant violation of consumer rights. In the absence of widely available third party operating systems for mobile devices, this move by google bottlenecks the availability of applications and locks out independent developers, and those who will not play google's games. I should not have to elaborate on the potential for monopolization, nor the myriad ways this arrangement could be leveraged for censorship. I call on google to reverse this decision immediately, and end this threat to consumer rights and digital liberty. "

Auston, change.org

"The world needs more freedom, not less. Nobody said you *have* to use a free APK, but we need to keep the option open for anybody who does. "

Evan, change.org

"Show us a reason to use Android over iOS. It is this bit of freedom that makes us choose Android. Without it, we might as well save up for Apple products, which are solid, but less choice. It is the choice that makes Android worth looking at. "

J, change.org

"Android libre. "

Fernando, change.org

"Google needs to STOP! Taking away MY Right to choose what apps I will or won't use is completely UNACCEPTABLE and ILLEGAL! Freedom of Choice has always been a hallmark of the Android lifestyle. Unlike Apple's closed-box system, Android's relatively open nature gives me the ability to choose FOSS apps over paid closed-source apps, saving me both money AND the lost sleep over repeated worries about tracking, ads and spyware in the apps I regularly use. Google's recent decision to lock the system down and force devs to pay huge "membership" fees, surrender ALL their rights under a TOS that is AGAINST them developing without providing the ID and private signature keys and listing any application IDs they have. If this isn't the behavior of a monopoly, than please define to me what is?! "

Stephen, change.org

"whatever happened to actually owning something you bought? like seriously stop with this nonsense. I should be able to install things onto my phone as I see fit. "

Eric, 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

"I have the right to download apps made from developers I trust. You do not make that decision for me. Hands off! "

Danielle, change.org

"One of the reasons why we chose Android was its freedom of doing what you want on your device. Now we have to stop this limitation of a recognized right. "

Francesco, 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

"Yoo wtf? Cant live like dat "

Abs, change.org

"We want Android as it was intended and created to be, free and for everyone, not a cheap reskin of iOS. "

TARS-, change.org

"Most of the apps I use are not on the play store! "

Samuel, change.org

"To whom it may concern. Recently it was brought to my attention that Google is planning on violating my rights by removing the ability to install applications on devices I OWN without googles permission. This decision places ultimate power with google to suppress any speech and crush any competition which operates against their interests. As a consumer, i should have the right to install any software i choose within the boundaries of the law. The devices which i install software on belong to me, therefore, i should be the ultimate arbiter of what runs on my property. Google should not have that power. Please, i beg of you. If there are any principled people left in the US government, then please do not allow google to continue down this path. Below this point are statements which i believe accurately reflect the situation sourced from https://keepandroidopen.org/ In August 2025, Google announced that as of September 2026, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google. This registration will involve: Paying a fee to Google Agreeing to Google’s Terms and Conditions Providing government identification Uploading evidence of the developer’s private signing key Listing all current and future application identifiers What this means for our rights ➤ You, the consumer, purchased your Android device believing in Google’s promise that it was an open computing platform and that you could run whatever software you choose on it. Instead, as of September 2026, they will be non-consensually pushing an update to your operating system that irrevocably blocks this right and leaves you at the mercy of their judgement over what software you are permitted to trust. ➤ You, the creator, can no longer develop an app and share it directly with your friends, family, and community without first seeking Google’s approval. 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. ➤ You, the state, are ceding the rights of your citizens and your own digital sovereignty to a company with a track record of complying with the extrajudicial demands of authoritarian regimes to remove perfectly legal apps that they happen to dislike. The software that is critical to the running of your businesses and governments will be at the mercy of the opaque whims of a distant and unaccountable corporation. "

Micheal, change.org

"Despicable corporate over reach on full display here. Stop the change, let users choose and decided how they wish to use their devices! "

Markus, change.org

"Google needs to stop this. Collecting data in general is terrible "

Wojciech, change.org

"They literally block sideloading with this and always using "security" as an excuse, they never will accept all dev, and also who give they the right to get ID of dev. Put in you place, you are a company in a democratic country, we give you power The solution for this is stop using google services, give they a prove of power, they depend of us because we give them money, stop using google service, and fight against this injustice Google is evil, and right now they are shown they craws "

Juan, change.org

"I'm getting so sick of governments/ corporations thinking they can just take away our right to privacy online under the guise of "security", and the more they're able to get away with it, the more we'll see it happening. I'm not a developer and I barely use 3rd party apps, but that doesn't mean I won't fight for our ability to use our phones as we see fit "

Danielle, change.org

"The people will ask if they feel they need to be represented. "

Catherine, 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

"This is, I believe a really dumb decision on Google's part. Personally one of the primary reasons I choose to use Android devices over IOS is because I loathe Apple's locked down environment ... Is Google now wanting to follow in Apple's coat tails with this policy ? I thought Google was about leadership and innovation, if it now wants to play second fiddle to Apple, I hope another OS comes to the forefront, I'm pretty sure one will. It may take a little while, but freedom will out in the end. And personally if Google thinks they can control what I choose to do with my own devices ... well I'm sorry Google, but THAT WILL NOT WORK FOR ME. As it is I already have to sideliad apps I want on my tablet because " they are not compatible with my device " at least according to the Play Store they are not... So tell me Google, if they are so incompatible, WHY DO THE FUNCTION PERFECTLY one I sideload them from a device that you deem to be "compatible " ?? And now you think you can stop me ? and stop me from writing my personal little apps to do other neat stuff that I like ??? I really THINK NOT and if I can no longer work on Android Devices, we'll I WILL FIND / CREATE A WORKABLE ALTERNATIVE. "

Paul, change.org

"Android having the ability to sideload apps is a core part of the eco system it's like if you couldn't install a .exe on windows. The core thing some of us went to android for is openness but if they take that away we will leave as fast as we arrived. "

Teddy, change.org

"what does google think'll happen when they remove this aspect of android. this is the only distinguishable feature between ios and android "

Mail-main, change.org

"The ability to download and install APK's from any source is a choice that should not be taken from users. It's the whole reason Android OS is successful now. Taking away choice will drive users to seek out other software solutions. Keeping Android Open is important to stop corporate overeach, unnecessary tracking and selling of user data, and keeping software available and fair. "

Christopher, change.org

"Literally the only reason I swapped to android years ago was because it had freedoms that iPhones didn't. I may as well swap back if this is how things are going. "

Robert, change.org

"I bought an Android phone because of the affordability and more open nature compared to iOS, and hope Google listens to the concerned users and changes its mind regarding this decision. "

Luke, change.org

"Keep Android open. These changes will hurt accessibility for users, like myself, who rely on open source assistive tools, and should be optional. "

D, change.org

"It is a fundamental right for everyone to be able to install whatever they want from wherever they want on any computer of theirs. "

Jim, change.org

"Keep android open "

Charlotte, change.org

"Also consider giving money towards the Graphene OS at grapheneos.org/donate "

Adam, change.org

"Stop this bullshit of trying to control our lives, deciding what I can and can't do. Enough with planned obsolescence, enough with authoritarianism. I, and only I, decide what's best for me, what I can and can't download on MY PHONE. "

Leonardo, change.org

"We can stand together to save Android and keep downloading what we love on our Android devices! "

Austin, change.org

"I object to being forced to use Google "approved" bloatware and non-open source software on my devices. "

Kinene, 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

"As a amateur developper involved in game development and fanmade communities, this decision would mean the death of a lot of project. This is unnaceptable! "

Morgane, change.org

"I chose to use Android devices specifically due to the control that I, as an end user, have over my files and the programs I chose to install on them. Even if a program comes from an independent programmer, even from other countries stores (like RuStore), even if it an open source app (like the ones from F-Droid), or just choosing to use Telegram from the first and most reliable source ever- the developer's website itself. I once had an iOS device and I totally detested how locked up it was, it was almost as if I were digitally "high jacked", depending on authorisation to do anything! Please don't remove us our freedom of doing to our devices our own experiments, finding and developing emulators for our old games and apps that suit our needs even if they're not economically viable. Plus: Don't take away the one tool many persecuted Christians around the world have to download Bibles to their phones. That's cruel and inhumane. "

Barbara, change.org

"The freedom Android offers for young inquisitive minds is the entery way to Dev-Land. Certainly they are aware of how many of their employees started from this basic idea and how many they may loose by taking it away. Not only that do they really believe we won't migrate to something better? But as a consumer we need to try and understand what the future will look like, why this is the decision not just for Android but for Windows and more. "

Joseph, change.org

"I am not a dev, I am a Linux user who loves the openness of android. If Android becomes locked down, and the play store is the only option, my sovereignty and freedom is gone. GOOGLE, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE YOUR CURRENT COURSE. "

Gabriel, change.org

"Unacceptable. This goes completely against the Spirit of the Android OS. Sideloading is a big reason Android is what is it today. Apps that were sideloaded became essential and were later integrated into the Android OS. Anyone smart enough to sideload is smart enough to educate themselves and be aware of any risks involved. I help people who's phones were hijacked by almost malware-like Launchers. Google still hasn't banned those Launchers from Google Play but somehow sideloaded apps are bad? Spare me the big brother crap. This is crackdown on Revanced and similar apps. This is also in coordination with government to crackdown on "undesirable" apps such as those that bypass censorship. "

Pavel, change.org

"I want my freedom to install any app I want on MY DEVICE!!! "

Aswin, change.org

"Google, this would absolutely destroy android. Seriously, one of the only reasons people get Androids over iPhones (aside from them being cheaper) is that they can sideboard apps from the factory. Limiting that would be a huge blow to the Android market. "

Christopher, change.org

"You're forcing us to create an alternative. We live in an age of increasingly powerful AI, we will not let you control everything. "

Anthony, change.org

"The whole reason I keep going with Android phones is the ability to side load whatever apps I want to make the experience exactly what I want it it be. I have been using pixel phones for years because of the clean boat free experience out of the box but without the ability to download third party apk's the core thing that keeps me coming back to Android instead of iOS with be gone "

Boris, change.org

"As I'm planning on purchasing a new device soon, this announcement is making me reconsider choosing android at all. If it is moving towards controlling user freedoms, Android becomes less compelling, as that has been the major draw for me. "

Taryn, change.org

"The whole entire point of an Android phone is that you have freedom and a choice in matters like this. Taking away that choice is basically taking away the entire point of buying an Android over any other phone. We deserve the choice. "

Madison, change.org

"Anyone who wants to write an Android app should be fully allowed, and should never be forced to pay for your own program through fees. "

Keiran, change.org

"I've installed dozens to hundreds of APKs on my phone for years. Whether it's personal projects or open source tools. It's really the only defining difference between Android and iOS. Why is this even being considered by Google? "

Joseph, change.org

"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

"As a android user and a newbie developer, android OS is famous by the its freedom. Because we can modify our android operating system by our ways,and decided which software I wanted which I needn't. This freedom is the biggest difference between android and IOS and other fake android, which is full of junk ads and virus-like game. However, if we lost freedom on android operating system, the open-source software developer will lose motivation from this platform. That is a horrorible things to the android and the people who beloved with it. "

su, change.org

"This policy is the antithesis of what makes Android the best on the market. The policy infringes on our freedoms as American people. I should not have to share who I am or what I look like or where I live to a company that I don't care about. The government needs to know who I am, but a company doesn't. The moment the company gets hacked from anywhere/anyone, they have all my information. That is dumb and should not happen, ever! "

Ayden, change.org

"With the rising price of X86 hardware, ARM devices may be the future of personal computing, but that won't happen if Google smothers development for the largest operating system for ARM based hardware. I should be able to run a program on my machine without the developer needing to pay a fee to Google and dox themselves. "

Dwight, change.org

"The only way for android to compete with Apple is to allow side loading apps. If you remove this what is the selling point of ANDROID! "

Kendall, change.org

"I don't sideload, I only download form sources I trust and that are not the Google PlayStore. If you want to verify apps, verify them on your app store, not others! "

Lukas, change.org

"Remember, "DON'T BE EVIL." These are still worthy and wise words to live by. Don't be a competition crushing monopoly, driven by the love of money and power which, is the root of much evil. With wisdom and awareness, operate according to the principles of enlightened self-interest, acting in the world with peace and virtue in order to more readily manifest Heaven on Earth, Our Earth in Heaven. Let us be good for our own sake if not for goodness sake. "

Mark, change.org

"FOSS IS WHAT BUILT ANDROID. THIS WILL HURT FOSS. "

Noah, change.org

"In this day and age, most of the rich and powerful are attempting to restrict the choices normal people have, and Google attempting to limit the open-source nature of Android is just one more example of this. What Google is doing is not protecting anyone and only serves to limit what we are allowed to do, and I don't want to idly stand by as the rich become richer. "

Joseph, change.org

"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

"Google,please don't do that. Because if you do that, millions and millions of Android users will switch to iOS, because that's the point of Android even exists! *I* switched to Android because I did not like iOS So please... Give us the freedom we want! "

Eduardo, change.org

"Android earned its place in the market because it was open. The ability to sideload applications isn't a loophole — it's a feature, and a promise. It's what set Android apart, attracted developers, and gave users real ownership over their devices. That openness, rooted in the same Linux principles Android was built on, is the reason Google is where it is today. Restricting sideloading would be a profound betrayal of that foundation. It trades user freedom for platform control, and developer trust for gatekeeper revenue. It is, in short, pulling up the ladder after climbing it. I believe many in this community — developers, enthusiasts, and everyday users alike — feel the same way. We chose Android because it respected our autonomy. If that changes, so will our choices. I urge Google to listen to this community and protect what made Android worth building for in the first place. "

Felix, change.org

"This would be removing a key benefit of android over apple. Having control over what is on your device should be a given to owning it as your personal property, and Google shouldn't have a say in what is and isn't allowed on your phone in any circumstance "

Ethan, change.org

"Your OS literally wouldn't exist without Linux. Stick to the "

Caleb, change.org

"Keep Android Open "

Timothy, change.org

"I'm old enough to remember when Google's company montto was "Don't be evil". "

Ryan, change.org

"가장 큰 강점을 내다버리는 행위이다. 인증을 핑계로 얼마나 많은 컨텐츠들이 접근 불가능해질지 생각하면 크게 걱정이다. "

CH, change.org

"I will switch to iOS and get rid of my android devices and Google home setup if this policy is implemented. I use android because it is open. If Google makes it an inferior version of the iPhone then I will switch over to iPhone. "

Scott, change.org

"I'm making this comment because I think what Android and Google are doing is absurd. Because removing APKs from Android, like banning APKs, is very bad. Because Android has had APKs for so many years, taking away something that made Android what it is today is very bad. Many people like Android because of APKs, and I'm one of those people. Like, we had our childhood on Android because of APKs, so that's why I'm making this comment. This is for the good of Google and Android, and that's all. - David "

Davi, change.org

"Android started as the Anti-Apple and the ubiquity of manufacturers, form functions, ROMs, and open source app development has made it what it is today: the worlds most used operating system powering nearly 70% of phones and 1/3 of all devices, even surpassing Windows. App verification and sideloading through ADB only will hamper development and greater adoption moving forward. If forced into a walled garden, why not just use iOS? "

Nicholas, change.org

"This is another blasphemous attempt from Google to assert itself as a complete monopoly and their reasoning to protect users is just a mask for generating massive revenue. Being "open" coupled with the "freedom of choice" are the underlying factors for why Android dominates the market share. Crushing both these fundamental reasons to be a dictator is pure insanity. Developers shouldn't comply and users should stop buying Google infected Android devices. Thankfully, there's other options so no need to convert to iPhone. "

James, change.org

"Closing off the ability for the average consumer to engage with their device on their terms is outright dystopian and also part of why so many younger people struggle with computer literacy. "

Joseph, change.org

"This change would effectively prevent any normal user from escaping the constant for profit schemes you'll find on the play store. Kids deserve games that don't try to coerce money out of them "

Jody, change.org

"Don't trust billionare companies, they want to take away our choice! "

Hugo, change.org

"Please don't let Google screw us over with this now! I hope we win and they don't do this! "

Saul, change.org

"This undermines user choice, Again. This will hurt countless small businesses and massively increase the barrier to entry for new bootstrapped developer startups. We don't need more gatekeeping. "

Thomas, change.org

"APKs are extremely useful for downloading as a learning app developer in highschool. If you ban this, I will not have phone to use as a sandbox and resort to virtual systems to do my development on as a unverified user You are SIGNIFICANTLY reducing the amount of people who will buy your products, and I guarantee, I, as well as many other android users will be switching to Apple as a result. This is on of the ONLY reasons for us to purchase your devices and use your OS. Do not kill your golden goose "

Logan, change.org

"To late to close pandoras box. This is why we have all been android users. Apple sucks don't be apple. "

Jenni, change.org

"As Student and Junior Developer, I find this petition quite concerning on security and privacy for web data, android is not only a platform, it is a framework, a constant transition of metadata across the WEB. Limitating actions on android, even in level 3 is limitating not only user-friendly policy's of privacy, but freedom on networking. I Highly Recommend Sharing this petition! "

Davi Cristopher, change.org

"I have always preferred Android phones over Apple phones, just for the freedom that Android gave to download applications without having to limit and control you all the time, but now Android wants to become an APPLE 2.0, if that happens I will throw away my Android phone and directly buy an iPhone, if it is going to have restrictions too, all bad Android 👎 "

Mauricio, change.org

"I download many applications outside the Play Store because it doesn’t offer the variety I’m looking for. Instead, it constantly pushes advertised apps in front of me, which makes it feel like I’m being guided toward what benefits the platform, not what I actually want to explore. Restricting this freedom feels less about protecting users and more about protecting the platform’s own interests - its revenue and its control over what people can access. It’s like forcing me into a cage, but making it legal - where my ability to choose and explore freely is no longer truly my own. "

Dawn Alexis, 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

"The push toward a mandatory, centralized developer verification program for Android represents a significant departure from the open-source values that originally defined the platform. By requiring independent developers to pay fees, surrender private signing keys, and provide government identification just to share an app—even outside the Play Store—these policies create a massive barrier to entry that threatens to stifle innovation and privacy. This shift doesn't just add friction; it risks dismantling alternative ecosystems like F-Droid and Aurora Store, which have long provided a vital refuge for those seeking software free from big-tech oversight. If we allow the door to close on sideloading and force every developer behind a paywall, we are effectively trading a diverse, free ecosystem for a "walled garden" that prioritizes corporate control over user agency and digital rights. It is essential that the community stands together to keep Android an open platform where developers can create and users can choose without needing a centralized permission slip. "

Andrew, change.org

"Sideloading is not a term. It is called installing. Do not take our choices away. Isn't America proud of their freedom, so don't take ours freedom away. Our device, our decisions "

Quoc Huy, change.org

"Mandating government identification and a registration fee to share software is a direct violation of the open-source principles and digital privacy that defined the platform. This change creates an unnecessary financial barrier for independent developers and students, effectively stifling global innovation and the creation of niche, non-commercial tools. By positioning itself as the sole gatekeeper of all app installations, Google is stripping away user autonomy and transforming a once-free ecosystem into a restrictive "walled garden." "

Ibrahim, change.org

"I use open source apps from F Droid in place of stock apps because they require less permissions, use less resources and offer better theming and customization. The whole point of Android was supposed to be that you can do whatever you want on it as apposed to iOS. Sure, not everyone installs custom or third party apps, but why take the option away from people who do? "

Cory, change.org

"I have been with Android since the Motorola Droid on Android 2.0 and been with Android all the way till now. The reason I went with Android is because of the openness and freedom I can do with my device that I bought. Throughout the years, I have installed really amazing apps outside the Play Store. I should have the ability to install any app I want and App developers should be able to create any app they want without having to give their information away. Google, please don't become like Apple and lock everything down. "

Rafael, change.org

"Google is shifting from openness and freedom toward a closed feudal system. This represents more than just a setback for software platforms; it is a step backward for human civilization. "

John, change.org

"Save Android !! Without it being open-source and freely usable, there *is* no good alternative to iOS, simply a mere copy of Apple's notoriously awful anti-consumer model. Personally, I won't stand for this blatantly money-focused and privacy-inhibiting change, and you shouldn't either! "

Brandon, change.org

"As someone who enjoys playing modded versions of games, or even fan-games such as FNaF World: Refreshed, I feel as though limiting such use of apks is turning a blind eye. And forcing many people to reveal their real information, info that's sensitive in my opinion isn't safe. I used to feel safer and confine to android, but now I'm not really sure anymore if this is what you consider "safe". "

Ujjal, 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

"We installed Android and became developers in good faith, that it was open and not locked/controlled and would stay that way. Google's motto USED to be "don't be evil" and yet they now do exactly that. People that force behaviour onto others are never the good guys. "

Shane, change.org

"Do not allow this tyranny! Refuse this overeach and help promote free software and your right to be able use your device the way YOU see fit. "

Nichita, change.org

"For longer than I can remember, I have cherished Android's openness, the ability to side-load APKs, access to F-Droid and related means of acquiring open-source and ad-free apps. But now, here we go again with another Big Tech bait-and-switch: Android's appeal has always been it's open nature; Google captures it, promising it will not violate the fundamental openness of Android's operating system; next thing we know, Google announces it will indeed violate everything Android developers, users, and community members hold dear. Google: We are all so tired of paying to have our freedoms restricted on top of being the objects of mass surveillance. We are sick of purchasing over $1000 devices, only to have our fundamental rights to our own bought property be curtailed and our privacy interests betrayed. We will not continue to fund this behavior. Google must make a public, righteous, and inviolable commitment to keep Android devices *at least as open as they are now*. If it does not, it will be Google that feels the pinch of being locked out. "

Brian, change.org

"Having less autonomy over how we use our devices doesn't make us safer, it just makes us more subject to corporate control. I'm not here for that. "

Eleanor, change.org

"This will be the death of android and Google is holding the gun. My entire attraction to android was the freedom. Now that this will potentially cease to exist, I have no problem finding another source of freedom. Google thinks they're being smart, but they are only killing themselves slowly. Android users everywhere must make sure google pays dearly for the abomination they are creating. "

Kevin, change.org

"Please don't make this change Because that's why I got an Android in the first place! "

Jerry, 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

"who thought it was even a good idea "

Joel, change.org

All references, editorials, press coverage, and videos →

Take Action Full resource list, regulator contacts, links for every country, and how to fight back Open Letter Read the open letter signed by organizations opposing developer verification

קנית את הטלפון מכספך.
אמורה להיות לך הזכות להחליט מה להפעיל בו.

That shouldn't require a 9-step process, a 24-hour wait, and Google's ongoing permission.

נא לשתף את העמוד הזה, לא להירשם. לא ניתן להם להפוך את אנדרואיד לסגורה.