El teu telèfon està a punt de deixar de ser teu.

86 dies fins al bloqueig

A partir del setembre de 2026, una actualització silenciosa, imposada per Google sense consentiment, bloquejarà totes les aplicacions d’Android el desenvolupador de les quals no s’hagi registrat amb Google, no hagi acceptat el seu contracte, pagat i lliurat una identificació oficial.

Totes les aplicacions i dispositius, arreu del món, sense excepció.

Què està fent Google

L'agost de 2025, Google va anunciar un nou requisit: a partir del setembre de 2026, tots els desenvolupadors d'aplicacions d'Android hauran de registrar-se centralment amb Google abans que el seu programari es pugui instal·lar en qualsevol dispositiu. No només les aplicacions de la Play Store: totes. Això inclou aplicacions compartides entre amics, distribuïdes a través de F-Droid, o creades per aficionats per a ús personal. Desenvolupadors independents, comunitats, organitzacions i aficionats quedaran exclosos de poder desenvolupar i distribuir el seu programari.

El registre requereix:

Si un desenvolupador no compleix, les seves aplicacions es bloquegen silenciosament en tots els dispositius Android del món.

A qui perjudica

Tu

Vas comprar un telèfon Android perquè Google deia que era obert. Podies instal·lar el que volguessis, i aquest era l'acord.

Google està reescrivint aquest acord de manera retroactiva en el maquinari que ja tens. Després de l'actualització, només podràs executar programari que Google hagi aprovat prèviament. Al teu telèfon: la teva propietat, que tu has pagat.

Desenvolupadors independents

La primera app d'un adolescent, una eina de privadesa creada per voluntaris o una beta interna confidencial. No importa. Després del setembre de 2026, cap d'aquestes es podrà instal·lar sense el vistiplau de Google.

F-Droid, que allotja milers d’aplicacions lliures i de codi obert, ho ha qualificatcom una "amenaça existencial". Cory Doctorow ho anomena "Darth Android".

Governs i societat civil

Google té un historial documentat de complir quan règims autoritaris exigeixen eliminar aplicacions. Amb aquest programa, el programari que utilitzen les institucions del teu país dependrà del criteri d'una única corporació estrangera no responsable.

L'EFF adverteix que el control d’aplicacions és "un camí cada cop més ampli cap a la censura a Internet".

La "via alternativa" de Google és una trampa

Google diu que els "usuaris avançats" encara poden "instal·lar" aplicacions no verificades. Això és el que implica realment:

  1. Entrar a la configuració del sistema i trobar les opcions de desenvolupador
  2. Prémer el número de compilació set vegades per activar el mode desenvolupador
  3. Ignorar advertències intimidatòries
  4. Introduir el PIN
  5. Reiniciar el dispositiu
  6. Esperar 24 hores
  7. Tornar-hi i ignorar més advertències
  8. Triar "permetre temporalment" (7 dies) o "permetre indefinidament"
  9. Confirmar de nou que entens "els riscos"

Nou passos. Una espera obligatòria de 24 hores. Per instal·lar programari en un dispositiu teu.

Encara pitjor: aquest procés depèn completament de Google Play Services, no del sistema Android. Google el pot modificar o eliminar en qualsevol moment, sense actualització del sistema ni consentiment. I a dia d'avui, no existeix en cap versió beta. Només és una entrada de blog i maquetes.

Això va més enllà d'Android

Si Google pot bloquejar retroactivament milers de milions de dispositius venuts com a oberts, tots els fabricants del món estan observant.

El principi que s’estableix: la companyia que fabrica el dispositiu decideix, després de comprar-lo, quin programari pots executar. En programari això s'anomena "aixecar la catifa" (en anglès 'rug pull'); però almenys podies instal·lar alternatives. En maquinari és un fet consumat que et deixa sense control.

L'obertura d’Android no era només una característica. Era una promesa. Google ara la revoca unilateralment

Ars Technica: "L'enveja d'Apple per part de Google amenaça amb desmantellar el llegat obert d’Android."

Però espera, això no és...

"...només per seguretat?"

El motiu de seguretat és una cortina de fum. Google Play Protect ja analitza el programari maliciós independentment de la identitat del desenvolupador. Exigir una identificació oficial no fa que el codi sigui més segur. Fa que els desenvolupadors siguin identificables i controlables. Els autors de malware es poden registrar. Els desenvolupadors independents i els dissidents sovint no poden. L'EFF és clara: el control basat en la identitat és una eina de censura, no de seguretat.

"...encara es poden instal·lar apps amb el flux avançat?"

Nou passos, una espera de 24 hores, amagat dins les opcions de desenvolupador, i gestionat per un servei propietari que Google pot revocar quan vulgui. Això no és instal·lació manual. És un mecanisme dissuasiu dissenyat perquè gairebé ningú el completi. I com que depèn de Play Services i no del sistema operatiu, Google el pot restringir o eliminar silenciosament.

"...només és un problema si tens alguna cosa a amagar?"

Els denunciants, periodistes i activistes sota règims autoritaris seran les primeres víctimes. Les persones en situacions de violència domèstica vindran després. Tots aquests col·lectius tenen motius legítims per distribuir o utilitzar programari sense associar la seva identitat legal a una base de dades de Google. La contribució anònima al programari lliure és una tradició anterior a Google. Aquesta política l'elimina a Android.

"...és el mateix que fa Apple?"

Apple ha estat un ecosistema tancat des del principi. La gent va triar Android precisament perquè era diferent. "Apple també ho fa" és una carrera cap avall i un argument feble de tipus tu quoque. A més, sota pressió reguladora (com la Digital Markets Act de la UE), fins i tot Apple s’està veient obligada a obrir-se. Google es mou en la direcció contrària: reforçar encara més el seu control.

"...només són 25 $ i una mica de paperassa?"

Potser, si ets un desenvolupador als EUA amb targeta de crèdit i permís de conduir. Prova de ser un estudiant a l'Àfrica subsahariana, o un dissident a Myanmar, o un voluntari que manté una aplicació de salut comunitària. El cost no és només econòmic: estàs cedint la teva identificació oficial i proves de les teves claus de signatura a una empresa que habitualment compleix amb les demandes governamentals per eliminar aplicacions i exposar desenvolupadors.

Passa a l’acció

Tothom

Desenvolupadors

No us hi registreu. No participeu en el programa registrant-vos a la consola de desenvolupadors d'Android ni acceptant els seus termes i condicions irrevocables. No verifiqueu la vostra identitat. No hi jugueu.

El pla de Google només funciona si els desenvolupadors hi col·laboren. No ho feu.

Treballadors de Google

Si coneixes detalls sobre la implementació tècnica del programa o les seves motivacions internes, contacta amb [email protected] des d'un dispositiu no laboral i un compte que no sigui Gmail. Confidencialitat absoluta garantida.

Tots els que s'hi oposen…

71 organitzacions de 23 països han signat la carta oberta

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

Llegeix la carta oberta completa i agraeix als signants →

Què en diuen

Premsa tecnològica

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

Hackaday

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

Cybernews

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

Thom Holwerda, OSnews

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

MakeUseOf

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

Android Headlines

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

Infosecurity Magazine

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

9to5Google

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

The Register

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

Gizmochina

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

The Register

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

XDA Developers

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

Ars Technica

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

Ars Technica

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

Android Police

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

SlashGear

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

Tom's Guide

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

Datamation

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack

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

Benzinga

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

Slashdot

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

heise online

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine

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

Android Headlines

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

Tom's Guide

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

TechRepublic

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

I-Programmer

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

The Verge

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

It's FOSS News

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

Tuta Blog

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

TechSpot

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

How-To Geek

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

Open Source For U

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld

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

The Register

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

How-To Geek

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

Android Headlines

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

Reclaim The Net

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

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

How-To Geek

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

Techdirt

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

How-To Geek

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

TechCrunch

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

Techzine EU

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

How-To Geek

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

Bleeping Computer

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

How-To Geek

Editorials i anàlisi

Organitzacions i cartes obertes

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

Nextcloud

"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."

AdGuard

"Google's abusive approach to the Android operating system has only gotten worse in recent years. Software freedom is sorely lacking in the 'computers in our pockets' we call cell phones."

Free Software Foundation

"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

"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

"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 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

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

ACLU

"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

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

Osservatorio Nessuno

"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."

Tuta

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

F-Droid

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

F-Droid

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

Tuta

"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

"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

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

AdGuard

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

Tuta

"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."

Brave

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

European Pirate Party

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

Nextcloud

"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

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

European Parliament

"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

"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

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

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

"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

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

F-Droid Open Letter

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

Tech-ish Kenya

"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

YouTubers i creadors

"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

"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

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

Tuta Blog – Blog

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

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"That's not openness. That is control."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

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

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

"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

"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

"If I'm going to be trapped in a walled garden anyway, I'll take the one that's built properly."

fireborn – Blog

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"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

"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"Google keeps getting in as much trouble as Apple when Google is half evil and Apple is full evil. So there are probably people inside Google saying, 'Why not just go full evil?'"

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

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

Techlore – YouTube

"This 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

"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

"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

"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

"I'm not using the word 'phone.' I'm using the word 'computer.' This has over 8 GB of RAM, a terabyte of storage. It's a computer. And I'm also not going to be using words like 'sideload.' When you download an exe file onto your Windows computer, you've installed an application. You haven't 'sideloaded' something."

Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"The widely-circulated narrative that Google already backed down from this is false. They didn't, and that misunderstanding may be the most dangerous part of the story right now."

Techlore – YouTube

"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

"Google is setting a requirement that only they can fulfill, forcing developers to go through Google and killing off thousands of apps. Countless users stranded."

Techlore – YouTube

"Google is doing to Android what Microsoft once tried to do to the web. Embrace, extend, extinguish. Just wrapped in a shinier open-source package."

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

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

fireborn – Blog

"This has obvious problems for non-Google operating systems like iodeOS, LineageOS, or BraxOS. Google Android will 'check in' with Google to verify the identity of the app and to validate the operating system."

Rob Braxman Tech – Locals

Desenvolupadors i comunitat

"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

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

koala, Lobsters

"This is a war on users that want to keep control of their phones and when it's done, you will not be able to escape the enshittification."

ikidd, Lemmy

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

TheTearMiser, Lemmy

"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."

nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News

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

flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News

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

vala, Lemmy

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

fsniper, Hacker News

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

tejtm, Hacker News

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

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

Zak, Hacker News

"Twice I have had to deal with Google silently disabling my drone app to the point I had to buy an older phone to perform work. When I purchase a device that works with another device, under no circumstances should I be at the mercy of any updates they make."

cbrophoto (drone professional), Reddit

"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

"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

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

Zak, Lemmy

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

gumby271, 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

"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

"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."

hn92726819, Hacker News

"Years ago, I wondered how Google would try to get away with locking down Android and shutting the cage door after capturing such a large dependent user base. Now I see how they are trying to get away with it."

chaznabin, Reddit

"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

"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

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

"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

"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

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

afferi300rina, Hacker News

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

gcupc, Lobsters

"If 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

"My Pixel 6 just broke, and after 15 years of using Android, I've finally been convinced to move to iOS. If I must live in a walled garden, I suppose I'll choose the one with nicer flowers."

yonato, Hacker News

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

wervenyt, Tildes

"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

"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

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

Max-P, Lemmy

"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

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

hbn, Hacker News

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

Tiraon, Tildes

"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

"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

"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

"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 teach digital literacy and 99% of unsavory software I encounter on people's phones come from the Play Store or App Store. I will believe they're serious about protecting users when I see them do something about the crap ton of borderline scam apps infesting their stores."

1995ToyotaCorolla, Lemmy

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

girvo, Hacker News

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

lynxy, Tildes

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

anordal, Lobsters

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, Lemmy

"Anyone else thinking this looks like a precursor to banning Signal and similar? 1) Put Google in control of what you can install. 2) Get Google to block it."

harry8, Hacker News

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters

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

MrZander, Hacker News

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

WaffleMonster, Slashdot

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

Apocryphon, Hacker News

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

layfellow, 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

Veus de la petició

"This update will ruin everything great about android "

Parker, change.org

"I switched to android specifically because I felt like it was truly a device I OWNED. I used Apple in the past but hated the amount of features that were gate kept. Having the ability to download open source apps on my android device has reshaped the way I use my phone and has made my workflows significantly better. This new change will not only completely destroy the open source ecosystem I've become accustomed to, but will actively turn away myself, and Android's main user base. What's the point of ruining your reputation and the only real reason to own an android device? "

Steven, change.org

"Google is going to ruin what they built and turn into Apple. "

Abnormal Software, change.org

"Android, please do not become like Apple os, doing that, you are changing the best thing you have, thats the user having Freedom to do whatever they want "

Pedro, change.org

"I choose android for freedom of customisation. I know the risks, I'm not silly. People will jailbreak this but I want Google to understand that it's users are intelligent "

Michael, change.org

"It's Android's openness that has allowed its development and evolution to this day. To close it would break the promise of an open system and deprive users of great freedom! "

Stark, change.org

"we pay for these devices and maintain them. we should be able to do anything we want with them. Locking us out is just greed. Like buying a car. then having to pay ever month to use the heated seats that are already in the car. if anything, let us put a different system on the phone. "

David, change.org

"Android's open nature is extremely important to the mobile space and limiting it would be actively detrimental. Educate users instead of taking away options. "

Bradley, change.org

"Android for me has always been the freedom to choose. The right to find alternatives that won't actively gather my information. I want to keep my freedom. I trust my open source small developers more than I trust corporations who put profit over my rights. "

Yeshua, change.org

"Google has always been the biggest hypocrite in the technology space. From stealing people's ideas to just buying them up. And ruining the experience. When I first fell in love with Android, it was because it was an open source platform that I could do as I pleased. I could extract the ROM and customize it to my liking. Now there is no semblance of customizability besides the walls of Jericho that Google has put. We must tear down these walls like the Berlin Wall and watch it burn because again Android was supposed to be for the people by the people not what iPhone or Apple is. Money hungry conglomerate corporate insatiable bastards. "

Adam, change.org

"Phone operating systems already have a precident of being locked down, and locking down android tightens the restrictions and paves the way for less freedom. We need to take a stand and refuse to let Google take control away from us. "

Joey, change.org

"LEAVE ANDROID ONLY PLEASE "

Chapo, change.org

"Google, don't make me get the spray bottle. "

Skipps, 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

"This would destroy a lot of unknown developers and other people who make great apps. "

Aidan, change.org

"I've been using APKs ever since I got my first phone, and now, it's an indispensable part of my life. Things I downloaded, games that I played that would be lost to time because the very people who made them forgot about them, things I watched, all those experiences... How can one take it away from us? We want our freedom. So what if we may be downloading viruses and having our data stolen? It's our choice, and it's nothing to be worried about by other people. And in my experience, there aren't as many viruses in the internet as people think. I know that I never got one. If APKs are gone, my main sources of entertainment — the things that kept me alive all this time by brightening up my days — they will be gone too. So, this cannot happen. This can't go on. I need my APKs. And I will not stop fighting for their existence, because they are a valuable part of my existence. - The Meteor "

João Pedro, change.org

"This is a horrendous plan. The Android Open Source Project is supposed to be just that... Open source. Requiring developers to provide Id, pay a fee, and register to release software for phones that people own is untenable. This is effectively making Android as much of a walled garden as Apple. Except Apple does it better. The whole draw of Android was the openness of the platform. If you remove that, we would be better off with Apple. PLEASE do not ruin Android by going ahead with this misguided plan. "

Alan, change.org

"I love android. I love how open it is. I love being able to download any app I want. This policy change is dumb. "

Farren, change.org

"This is an absolutely ridiculous move on their part. Nothing but censorship and control these past several months. They'll all burn for it. "

Jeffrey, change.org

"Just because old fogeys keep sending their life's savings to "princes" in Africa or "tech support assistants" in southeast Asia, does not mean that Google deny us all the right to use our devices however we want. It's the governments' responsibility to spread awareness against scams and to shut down the scammers for good. This implementation is just yet another way for a megacorp to harvest user data, because apparently there's never enough data. "

Aabhas, change.org

"Openness was supposedly Android's mission to difference itself from iOS and now they're gonna take it away? I don't want a closed system, you're just making a worse version of iOS and throwing away one of the biggest selling points of your OS, keep Android open. "

Ernesto, change.org

"Changes like this severely limit fledgeling development. While you promise easy ways to register for free, any barrier can be enough to stop someone from making their first app. Additionally, anonymous publishing should be available for applications that may go against the will of those in power. This change limits freedom as well as killing the developer community. "

Jack, change.org

"The only reason I use android is for the freedoms that it brought, allowing for FOSS apps is literally they only thing that separates you from apple!! "

Joseph, change.org

"Yoo wtf? Cant live like dat "

Abs, change.org

"I purchased an Android device just recently and had to send it back because I disliked how central to the user experience Google made itself on the new device. I could never see myself buying another Android if it gets worse than this, and Googles limits on APK file usage is definitely worse. "

Donna Grace, change.org

"We can't back down "

Victor Vitienzo, change.org

"The market benefits when there are choices. The choice to lock down Android is the wrong one. When I buy an android phone I buy the right to have control over the system and what happens in that system. Locking down Android phones is anti consumer. "

Jimben, change.org

"Ridiculous. Android always has been open source, and by restricting access to downloading APK files, you're removing the freedom that comes with android. You say it's for safety but if that was the case, you would be removing a bunch of terrible apps on YOUR store filled to the brim with viruses and malware. We know this isn't about protection, it's about control and monopolyzing the phone industry. This decision clearly shows how little you understand your own customers, nor actually care about them "

Aiden, change.org

"Google's plan to mandate developer verification for all Android apps is a direct betrayal of the platform's open promise. It crushes indie developers, hands a single corporation veto power over our devices, and sets a dangerous precedent for digital freedom. If we don't push back now, Android will become just another walled garden. "

DC, change.org

"I care about digital freedom because the digital world should have the same freedoms as the real world. "

Anabel, change.org

"As a user, I will always opt to sideload apps whenever possible. Whether I need a photo editor, keyboard app, audio equalizer app, or any other kinds of apps, I consistently seek open-sourced sideloading options before I even consider using the Google Play Store. Whenever I need any mobile app that isn't social, I prioritize finding an open-sourced app solution. With Google's dominance in the global mobile OS market, it's clear they will attempt to restrict any freedoms of their OS that they can get their hands on if they're not stopped. The importance of maintaining the freedom to sideload apps has never been more critical. Legislative initiatives like the App Store Accountability Act, which pushes users into surrendering personal private details to proprietary third-party solutions for identity verification, underscore why sideloading is a crucial defense line. If Google is allowed to proceed with implementing these restrictions, users will likely get funneled into using its proprietary app store, forced to share personal information like age and biometric data that links back to them for targeted ads and surveillance. Google's push for limiting sideloading is a textbook case of anti-competitiveness as well. The danger of this change can be summed up in an analogy: if some people occasionally get food poisoning from non-vetted sources, should we altogether limit food access to vendors that are deemed as, 'approved' or 'verified' by a multibillion-dollar, anti-consumer corporation? If this decision doesn't get shot down, there is a risk of being forced to give up personal privacy, autonomy, and choice. "

Matthew, change.org

"At that point highkey I'd just use IOS. Why remove one of the main things that lets android be android "

Josue, change.org

"The promise was to have an open OS: a walled garden has always been seen as something negative where the supposed pros do NOT outweigh the cons, among them far too much power in the hands of one, central entity. And every time a stunt like this is attempted, it demonstrates how that simply shouldn't be allowed to ANYone. My phone is mine. Let me install whatever I like on it. "

Daniele, change.org

"Android should not become a locked down plarform. Especially since its built upon a lot of open source technologies. It should be the open mobile platform. Not just another walled garden. If it does that, it will just be an inexpensive version of iOS. "

José Javier, 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

"Google, which has long positioned itself as a defender of freedom on the internet, now seems to be taking worrying steps by trying to limit the installation of apps outside of the Google Play Store. This move not only restricts users' freedom of choice, but also centralizes even more power in the hands of a single corporation, creating a closed and controlled environment. By forcing developers to comply with its rules and fees, Google eliminates the possibility of cheaper or even free alternatives, making the Android ecosystem more restricted and expensive. Moreover, this decision goes against the very essence of Android, which has always been based on freedom of customization and access. It's a setback for users who seek greater control over their devices and privacy. Limiting app installations outside the Play Store is not just a matter of convenience, but a matter of respecting user autonomy. "

Júnior, change.org

"Keep Android open to any app. I continue to use and develop for Android because it's the only mobile OS that allows me to install and use the software that I decide to use. I frequently develop software for me and my close friends. We need Android to stay open! "

Oleksandr, 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

"if this goes ahead I will simply refuse to use Android and move to a linux 'phone. "

Graham, change.org

"Android has always stood for user choice that’s what made it different. Taking away freedoms like sideloading apps goes directly against that foundation. Not every developer wants to go through approval processes just to create or use their own apps. Many of us build things for personal use, experimentation, or learning not for distribution under strict control. These changes don’t just limit developers they set a dangerous precedent. This is how censorship and platform control begin, slowly turning an open ecosystem into a closed one. Android was meant to be open. What made it powerful was the freedom it gave its users. Stripping that away doesn’t protect people it restricts them. If Android continues down this path, it risks losing what made it great in the first place. "

Jared, change.org

"Stop trying to censor & limit everyone! You can't just monoplize everything! "

Caulen, change.org

"This does not protect anybody. All it does is restrict an OS that was supposed to be open. This was one of the main benefits of Android over iOS, and now it's being removed. This also kills the open source ecosystem, since alternative app stores cannot function if all developers are required to pay Google and pay a fee. Ordinary users are already protected from malware with Google Play Protect, and app sideloading disabled by default. This does not help anyone. Even calling it sideloading is misleading, since we own the device NOT Google. On a computer, this is called installing software. It shouldn't be different on a phone. This will also allow government censorship of apps that protect privacy. Overall a terrible idea. "

Daniel, change.org

"I got an android phone in order to limit the harvesting of my personal data. Steps like these tighten the screws of surveillance and reduce our freedom to use our own devices as we see fit "

N, change.org

"This OS has been the only place that has felt free, the ability to download anything from anywhere is what a phone should be able to do. They trying to take away my freedom, and I refuse to bend the knee and accept it. "

Austin, change.org

"I'll repeat what I have seen many other say. It's not "sideloading", it's installing. It's not "making sure you only get what we know is good", it's a digital company town. We already pay for every aspect of our time on this earth. The fact that they want to make it so you can't go anywhere but them? It's a giant flashing LED sign that says monopoly. And I say to not let it happen, for privacy, for ownership, for the right to do what we want with the stuff we buy. "

Benjamin, change.org

"This is censorship at its core. Stop trying to destroy the open internet under the guise of safety. "

Dominic, change.org

"Removing side-loading is anti-user. I'm all for increasing security, and having various strange steps helps with that. You could even have a 1 minute subtitled video that has to play before you can confirm for the first time on a device that you want to side-load apps. But this change shows a lack of interest in users that inspires developers to not care about the Android ecosystem. If Google intends to significantly decrease the scope of Android, that signals that the maintenance costs are too high for Google, and thus, the company intends to let it rot and eventually die, much like many other Google things "

James, change.org

"Save APK files!! We need emulators to test it out. And I’ve never use android before, I feel like using it for the future. Please save them!! "

Deryl, change.org

"I only bought an Android just for the custom APKs part. If I have to buy an entirely new phone for the slightest bit of sideloading, I will. "

Robert, change.org

"Android, if you are going to be just like Apple, I think many might as well just switch to Apple devices..... Please reconsider "

Kaleonahe, change.org

"Built off the back of free software and then removing the free... "

Paul, change.org

"This would severely limit any reason I have to use a google certified android phone. Without the ability to easily support open source developers and tinker with my own projects -- the android phone would cease to be my "daily driver". These are our computers, and we should be able to install what we want on them. It's disrespectful to take that right away. Please reconsider removing your hardware's greatest and most consumer friendly strength in the mobile market. "

Kedryn, change.org

"We should be able to do what we want with the devices we own. Locking everyone into only downloading from the google playstore will just create the walled garden that iPhone has already. "Sideloading" shouldn't be viewed as a bad thing, or something you shouldnt do. Its the same as downloading something on a computer. Im just downloading software on my phone. Imagine if they blocked you being able to downloading anything outside of the Microsoft Store on Windows. This needs to be stopped. The main (and basically only reason) I get an android phone is to have control over it. If this is removed from hs I will have no reason not to use an iPhone instead. "

Steven, change.org

"Prohibition is not the way to safety and health. Good UX is enough to allow power user to own their devices. Don't listen to excuses from big corporations that play the victims, while they treat their users like disposables, in order to maximize their profits. Android must stay open. "

Lorenzo, change.org

"Not everybody wants to be forced into paying a fee to Google, agreeing to their Terms and Conditions, providing a government ID, upload evidence of the developer’s private signing key, or listing all current and future application identifiers. When purchasing an Android, installers like F-Droid served to help with having a widely used open computing platform where you could run whatever software you choose on it rather than having a large tech company like Google control what apps and store fronts you can install from. By making this new change world wide to Android, we're ceding the rights of citizens and their 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. Google actively has been paying other companies like Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla Corporation, and Opera to keep their search engine as the default option either pre-installed or after manual installation. Additionally, we’ve seen Google completely deprecate support for Manifest V2 extensions to intentionally block the use of powerful free open-source tools like uBlock Origin to consolidate control over the browser ecosystem and protect its advertising revenue over privacy and security. Google claims it’s their “job” to do the right thing by “caring” about our customers well-being despite having a track record of being abysmal with both their web browser and account settings. Even down to the way your Google account is setup and the kind of sensitive information required just to make one. To forcefully reject such a drastic and unethical change, I’d highly recommend everyone to use F-Droid and install apps which are either completely unavailable in the Google Play Store or ones that utilize free open-source software with an emphasis on privacy and security. Most of which you’ll find are very useful apps that do everyday tasks without added bloat and even valuable ones which aren’t Google’s proprietary solution. We as humans have every right to use whatever software and hardware is most desired along with retaining a very high standard for both privacy and security respecting applications, tools, and resources. "

David, change.org

"Android's freedom was one of the reasons it attracted so many users, and now they want to take that freedom away? That's like shitting on your customer's plate, the one who helped you get there where is it. "

Kelwiny, change.org

"Just saying that Android is not becoming locked down because of sideload restrictions, it closed was from the start, but people don't care if bootloader unlock is not under their control, they are being abused from the born of android but they only now scream that sideload is getting restricted. I'm of course mad at this sideload situation but Android before WASN'T OPEN! "

Hidden, change.org

"this is so dumb, and it makes the whole reason i got an android pointless. i might as well go back to ios but ill probably give pinephone a shot "

Spencer, change.org

"Fight for internet freedom/anonymity! "

m, change.org

"Google should not be able to say what apps we can and can’t download; we are adults and until its illegal for a good and vaild point; i should be allowed to youse the phone i paid for with hard earned money they way I want: the freedom that comes with growing up. I use a lot of niche software/apps and can only do it on android due to its openess. Please stop with this eshitifcation of products and services; eventually will stop buying. We buy products that benefit us; once that stops we will stop buying them; and companies need our money so please actually listen to consumer base that gives you the money you desire. What made me choose Android over iOS is the openness of it. By doing this you are killing what make android great, the fact that everyone can make an app and load it on his phone. You don't have iOS fan base. We will go elsewhere. "

kea, change.org

"I am the founder of Yale Privacy Lab, where we have investigated privacy and security issues in Android apps since 2017. I can say without hesitation that this change makes Android users less safe. Android is based upon free and open source software (FOSS) and that has always been defined by user choice. Blocking the capability to install apps directly from trusted sources outside Google Play is not a small tweak. It removes a core freedom. We should not need permission to run software on devices we own. Framing this change as protection does not reflect the reality of the Android ecosystem. Google Play has long allowed unsafe apps, invasive tracker SDKs, and supply chain threats that slip through automated review. Independent audits have consistently revealed these issues inside of Google Play, even *after* Google claims to have scrubbed. For example, the X-mode SDK persisted long after it was banned in the USA by the FTC enforcement action, and was still present in many Google Play apps until Google was called out by my own investigation. Initially, Google responded by saying I was wrong but then acknowledged their error in press. Long after that, other tracker SDKs associated with X-mode and the wider ad-tech surveillance economy have persisted. In many cases, the safer and more privacy-conscious option is to use F-Droid to install apps. F-Droid is just one organization that is much more serious than Google about checking the safety of their catalog of apps. Sometimes, the safest option is installing APKs directly from trusted developers. These methods can avoid ad trackers, surveillance code, and unwanted data sharing. To cut off these options is to put many activists, journalists, whistleblowers, and ordinary users at risk. "

Sean, change.org

"Every time you centralise something, you are adding a point of failure that used to not exist. And you can not trust those who care only for money to care for anything else. "

Andrew, change.org

"Android is OPEN SOURCE That's why Android is everywhere. But Google is using this power dangerously. Technology should empower, not confine. Restricting APK installation weakens innovation, discourages experimentation, and chips away at the diversity that made Android thrive in the first place. "

Kerem, change.org

"Because Google shouldn't force control on its users "

Jaden, change.org

"If this update is released, I will switch to iPhone. "

Miguel, change.org

"We need to stop Google controlling us. "

Carmen, change.org

"I, as an Android user for 17 years, believe in, and chose Android for, device openness and the freedom of choice. To choose my device, the services I use, from where I download my applications, and to choose FOSS apps that don't require developer registration or sacrificing personal privacy by accepting trackers and/or unnecessary permissions being tied to my app usage. Choice and freedom is what built Android and differentiated it from other platforms, like iOS, Windows Mobile, and other early smartphone operating systems. The trend of destroying user choice through the inability to unlock bootloader and easily root devices, the effective and increasing destruction of the custom ROM community and options, and now the elimination of third party app stores that offer incredible FOSS apps with greater focus on user privacy is one more step Google and Android are taking towards an undesirable ecosystem for many of us who still choose Android for its few remaining, and quickly disappearing, advantages. The argument that Google is requiring developer registration and restricting the ability of alternative app stores, like F-Droid, to continue to thrive as legitimate and worthwhile options is anti-consumer and isn't to protect users. Rather, it's to give users and consumers less control over their devices and data and, in my opinion, that is unacceptable. "

Roger, change.org

"This is clearly a descision taken by Sundar Pichai for the financial profit of Google, it has literally nothing to do with security or safety of the users like Google claims, if it were so, there were many other ways to do this. I think people like me will just switch to iPhone at this point, as Google has decided to just kill Android's only major advantage. Such a shame. Android used to be a symbol of freedom and openness. "

Aurelian, change.org

"Your ruining the freedom who ever to download what we wanted to do and stop limiting what we like to download from other websites or anything that is legally. "

Gabriel, change.org

"Open source is people power "

Nathan, change.org

"I use android for the freedom to do what I want with my device. If google restricts my ability to sideload apps, I will switch to a phone with an OS that continues to allow me to use my own device how I see fit. "

Sarah, change.org

"Google detente. "

Angel Gabriel, change.org

"What made Android unique was that you could download and side-load apps. It's what made Android different from iOS, and it's why I preferred Android. This isn't "protecting" anyone, and Google is almost always on the side of profit over consumers. "

Tyler, change.org

"I bought my first Android phone around 2010 era, the Sony Xperia X8 for $160CAD on NewEgg SIM unlocked and I've been hooked on this type of freedom ever since. Flexxing on these iPhone scrubs in high school with my fancy custom rom(CyanogenMod, now known as LineageOS), is where it all started. Just a few days ago, I flashed the newest LineageOS for my device(April 8th, 2026). I don't know where I was going with this, probably to give you some insight on my experience. But it'll be a sad day if Google decides to take away sideloading, so let's try to stop it from happening. Doing my part and signing this petition. "

John, change.org

"The sooner this is allowed the sooner our country is gone for good. State control over personal devices will have gone too far. "

April, change.org

"I've been a long Android user, and I learned so much due to being able to sideload programs; even being able to manually install google play services on some devices where it doesn't come by default. I believe that Google should not lock this change so we can have our own choices to do what we want with out programs and apps; unlike Apple who locks down their ecosystem, and (more so unrelated) Amazon picking out and stopping jailbreaks, which is the reason I have an android phone. For that freedom promised. Google, make the right decision. "

Brandon, change.org

"Take that away and you've destroyed Android. Google's trustworthiness is depths of hell low, and now you want even more control. Disgusting. The last bastion for Android was it's open freedoms compared to Apple, explicitly the ability to install apps without the store without verification. Allowing me to build and install my own creations. You must envision everyone in the entire world as some consumer archetype that just has feeding tubes of corporate sludge go into the consumers digestive tract. You can't imagine anyone innovating for fun not profit, making art and exploring science without corporate approvals. Your world is disgusting and I hate it. "

Aiden, change.org

"Google is nothing short of an evil pig! We want free android! "

James, change.org

"The possibility of one of the only features that could jumpstart and maintain rising developers ambitions and the Android community; being able to install any files into their systems getting smothered is a nightmare for anyone who has been sticking to Android themselves due to its customization (I will protect my self-made Miku UI with my life). Going against the reasons of Android's strengths WILL be a bad idea and would force the people to find lower alternatives, whether they are better or not can't be gauged when this move destroys the baseline of a free and modifiable OS. Please listen to the community that is yelling to not aim at poor Bugdroid's shins... "

Ken, change.org

"Android has one major thing over apple, and that is the ability to download and use whatever software you want on your device alongside the variety of said software. As someone who enjoys finding projects made by other users, or full apps that can alter your experience for the better, we can't just let Google change that. "

Dakota, change.org

"This is wrong! Taking freedom away from people isn't the same as making them safe! If this happens there will be no reason left to stay on android... "

Arya, change.org

"I make little tools for myself and little games for my son, I don't usually distribute apps and when I do it is for free with no ads. Adding a license, divulging personal info and a cost to Android development will make me leave the platform. Allow people to use their computing devices the way they want, don't be evil. "

Paul, change.org

"Dear Google. You have paid games. Players are trying to get the modded apk. You slap them with an "unsafe" warning. Not all modded apks can be unsafe, some are. If you want free robux, steal some. Sincerely, Yaoi Ulshade "

Yaoi, change.org

"This errodes competition by giving Google more control over what content is easily allowed. Fundamentally, this is anti-competition and a way for Google to cement their ability as the "taste maker" for Android devices. "

David, change.org

"I don't want to be forced change brands or worse build my own (device), just to install programs I make / want to use, I feel like I will have to hack my phones and replace the OS with something that I can't verify how safe it is (I know android has its problems but still) "

tom, change.org

""do no evil," my eye! this maga-adjacent, corpo-fascist overreach must be opposed, halted buried under copious amounts of binding democratic rules of fundanental software development freedoms & rights. no to paying tolls to genocide enabling skuoogle. no to overt subjugation of independent sw developers. if skruoogle had a consciencec... oh, but skruoogle has no conscience - it's not human. "

whiskey, change.org

"Screw that! "

Thierry, change.org

"Android has always been about freedom and customization. Let's keep it that way "

Jacob, change.org

"F droid is my primary way of installing apps. Blocking sideloading will fundamentally change how I use my phone, and make it impossible for me to use my phone in the way that I have for years. "

T, change.org

"You either die being choice free and open for the people, or live long enough to change your values and become like Apple. Don't be disgusting. "

Daniel, change.org

"I value Android OS as the one alternative we have to the walled garden that is the Apple and its iPhone. Android phones have always been the phones of freedom--the phones you could do anything with, the phones you could customize and tailor to your exact needs. I depend daily on open source android projects run by dedicated volunteers. I'm not a programmer by any means, but even I've written a few small custom programs to run just on my own phone, something I could never do with iOS. To have all this taken away and to make Android as much of a prison as iOS would be a massive blow to consumer freedom, consumer privacy, and, by extension, our ability to communicate freely with those whom we love. "

Daniel, change.org

"Don't do this, I will never spend more than 100$ on an android or any phone ever again. Google, get smart. "

Jamell, change.org

"I switched to Android OS because apple's OS is closed. There will be no upsides to Android once it is closed. I will switch back to iPhones in a heartbeat so I can be on the same system as the rest of my family. "

devin, change.org

"Being open sourced and allowing users to have control over their own devices is what makes android beautiful. If you continue with this then you'll be no better than Apple. Allow devs, techies, power users and curious kids and adults to write their own programs and use them. Our phones! Our choice! You're going to damage yourself because it'll just let operating systems like Graphene explode and become more than what they are now "

Sean, change.org

"If this goes through I’m going to apple "

Matt, change.org

"Android is and has been the operating system that gives everyone the freedom to install any apps they want. The action of adding in a developer verification is simply redundant, anyone who goes out of the Google Play store to sideload knows its risks and why they are doing it. It is the only mobile operating system that allows us to do so, we won't let Google stop us. "

Yuquan, change.org

"We should keep Android open. "

Habsir, change.org

"Independent application distribution and creation is incredibly important and is one of the core reasons that I use Android over Apple devices. It's fine to prefer users access apps from a controlled "safe" store, but eliminating the possibility of installing outside applications is definitely not okay. There's no reason for this other than greed both monetary and data Creed. This is not okay for Google to do. "

Brandon, change.org

"We have the right to use our phones as we like. DON'T BREAK OUR FREEDOM "

Ferdari, change.org

"Please, allow for users to make exceptions or some other control, keep Android flexible. "

Boris, change.org

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