Your phone is about to stop being yours.

141 days until lockdown

Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.

Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.

What Google is doing

In August 2025, Google announced ↗ a new requirement: starting 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.

Registration requires:

If a developer does not comply, their apps get silently blocked on every Android device worldwide.

Who this hurts

You

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

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

Independent developers

A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. After September 2026, none of these can be installed without Google's blessing.

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

Governments & civil society

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

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

Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

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

  1. Delve into System Settings, find Developer Options
  2. Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode
  3. Dismiss scare screens about coercion
  4. Enter your PIN
  5. Restart the device
  6. Wait 24 hours
  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."

But wait, isn't this...

"...just about security?"

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

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

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

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

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

"...the same thing Apple does?"

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

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

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

Fight back

Everyone

Developers

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

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

Google employees

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

All those opposed…

66 organizations from 21 countries have signed the open letter

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

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

What they're saying

Tech press

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

Gizmochina ↗

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

Thom Holwerda, OSnews ↗

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

Android Police ↗

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

Hackaday ↗

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

I-Programmer ↗

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

How-To Geek ↗

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

Datamation ↗

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

Cybernews ↗

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"

InfoWorld ↗

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

It's FOSS News ↗

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

XDA Developers ↗

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"

The New Stack ↗

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

The Register ↗

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"

Internet Freedom Foundation (India) ↗

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

The Register ↗

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

The Register ↗

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

TechRepublic ↗

"Keep Android Open"

Linux Magazine ↗

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

MakeUseOf ↗

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

heise online ↗

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

Android Headlines ↗

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

Tuta Blog ↗

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

The Verge ↗

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

How-To Geek ↗

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

9to5Google ↗

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

Techzine EU ↗

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

Slashdot ↗

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

TechCrunch ↗

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

Techdirt ↗

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

Open Source For U ↗

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

Android Headlines ↗

"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 ↗

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

How-To Geek ↗

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

Ars Technica ↗

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

Infosecurity Magazine ↗

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

Reclaim The Net ↗

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

How-To Geek ↗

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

Ars Technica ↗

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

SlashGear ↗

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

Bleeping Computer ↗

Editorials & analysis

Organizations & open letters

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

Open letter, 37+ signatory organizations ↗

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

F-Droid ↗

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

Nextcloud ↗

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

ACLU ↗

"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 ↗

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

F-Droid ↗

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

Tech-ish Kenya ↗

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

F-Droid Open Letter ↗

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

Osservatorio Nessuno ↗

"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 ↗

"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, 37+ 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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

YouTubers & creators

"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 ↗

"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 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 ↗

"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 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 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 ↗

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

fireborn – Blog ↗

"A world where two tech companies from the same city that dominate all of our mobile devices both require centralized developer registration is a world with one more lever for surveillance, one more checkpoint for censorship."

Techlore – YouTube ↗

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

Techlore – YouTube ↗

"Follow the money. Google makes money when apps are downloaded from its store. Google has completely forgotten about its earlier company motto: Don't be evil."

Tuta Blog – Blog ↗

"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 ↗

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

Tuta Blog – Blog ↗

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

Louis Rossmann – YouTube ↗

"The fact of the matter is, this is my device. I paid a lot of money for it. I should be able to do with it what I want."

Switched to Linux – YouTube ↗

"I have really no more strong reason to not recommend you all get iPhones, because this just is pretty much an iPhone with a Google logo on it at this point."

Techlore – YouTube ↗

"Google is 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 ↗

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

ChiefGyk3D – YouTube ↗

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

Louis Rossmann – YouTube ↗

"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 ↗

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

Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube ↗

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

fireborn – Blog ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube ↗

Developers & community

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

hn92726819, 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 ↗

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters ↗

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

lynxy, Tildes ↗

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

vala, Lemmy ↗

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

Zak, Hacker News ↗

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

MrZander, 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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

Max-P, Lemmy ↗

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

Tiraon, Tildes ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

koala, 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'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 ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

girvo, Hacker News ↗

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

hbn, 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 ↗

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

TheTearMiser, Lemmy ↗

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

tejtm, 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 ↗

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

layfellow, Hacker News ↗

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

Zak, Lemmy ↗

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian."

masterofn001, Lemmy ↗

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

ikidd, Lemmy ↗

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

cbrophoto (drone professional), Reddit ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

gcupc, Lobsters ↗

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

BenjaminRi, Lobsters ↗

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

chaznabin, Reddit ↗

"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 ↗

"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 ↗

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

Apocryphon, Hacker News ↗

Voices from the petition

"I have been an android user for as long as I can remember, do not change that now Google. I have just started to develop android apps, because I find the alternatives not so friendly and bothersome. Android has been my driving flag and I would not want that to change for any reason. "

Nijel, change.org ↗

"This seems important not to let Google be the all powerful mega corp "

Adrian, change.org ↗

"I develop apps for personal use and use fdroid for open source and privacy focused apps. This will just be another step towards tyranny and control "

Jackson, change.org ↗

"I bought my phone to do what I wanted with what I paid for. Let me do what I want on something i own. Let me suffer the consequences of my actions. Your not my parent and let me be an adult. "

kea, change.org ↗

"Way to get people Ungoogling "

Martin Moe, change.org ↗

"The whole reason I stuck with Android is because I have my freedom. Without that freedom, I rather have an iPhone or switch the GrapheneOS. You're taking away the choice from us. The openness of the OS is something only knowledgeable users utilize, so why take it away at all? Stop screwing over the people that supported you "

Kevic, change.org ↗

"The fact is that Google does not have a valid cause to further restrict Androids app open sources due to “alleged need to protect Android users safety “ by only allowing apps to be installed through their paywall, I mean service, google play store. This personally affects me, as I have been using Android for years, and prefer to switch devices when it is best for me, I have a difficult time learning about tech as it is and with the massive amount of wrongs that company has done, it is only growing greedier while treating the users, as captives, not even providing sufficient opt ins, opt outs, and giving the choice to not have any private identifying datas sold out to any unsafe nefarious entity willing to pay. That data would not exist were it not for us individuals it is inextricably tied to, and if anyone has the authority to opt in or out to whats done, especially the selling of my private datas, that would exclusively be Me,Myself, and I. Google is neither fair nor honest, they sneak about doing unethical things until being discovered, and this is just Un American, and totally Anti Capitalism. They wish to eradicate possiblities of choice, wherever possible. They want a monopoly, not a fair market and I will be forced to ditch my Android , if I cannot use open source apps on it, the open source apps have much less problems from my experience, I dont end up with fake apps that mess up my phone, and or cannot be deleted. Once i know a device fairly well it really does not serve me well just to have to find something else, which likey i should do because it was built already infected with google, I trusted that company to be better,gave it a chance, but it is no ones friend. Im not even requesting anyone to stop the google nonsense, just dont let it stop use of upen source on Android, please. Thank you for taking time to read my message. "

Sara, 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 ↗

"Google get out of MY phone! "

Mauro, change.org ↗

"As a certified Android glazer I think age verification is stupid and Android should stay open forever "

Anony, change.org ↗

"Android is built on the Linux kernel and owes much of its foundation to the GNU/Linux ecosystem. The spirit of that ecosystem is openness, transparency, and user freedom. Limiting APK installation beyond reasonable security safeguards risks turning Android into a controlled ecosystem rather than an open platform. Security improvements are important, but they should not come at the cost of developer independence, open-source distribution, and user freedom to install software responsibly. Instead of restricting APK usage, a better approach would be improving user education, providing clearer and more transparent warnings, and offering optional security layers that protect users without limiting their freedom. "

Alireza, change.org ↗

"Users don't deserve the Google jail cell to shrink and encroach any further "

Ben, 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 ↗

"The spirit of open source is one of the basis of the Internet.Please do not reverse the course of history. "

Roberto, change.org ↗

"Because if Google prevents unverified apk installation it will interfere with downloading open source apps and self-signed apps "

error, change.org ↗

"I've been an user of Android based phones for a very long time. I am fully against the idea of this move Google is trying, as it is just another notch in the attempted censorship and surveillance of the internet as a whole. If this move is allowed to go through, I will find workarounds or work towards getting a third party phone deal where I don't have to deal with this. These big tech companies should not have the authority to force us to bend to them. We have the power to make them back down. Let our voice be heard. Boycott these companies and make them lose money. The moment their financial gains are threatened, they will surrender. "

Brandon, change.org ↗

"As others have definitely stated along with me, the Android platform was always chosen over Apple because of the freedom it allowed. Creating another oppressive "nanny" based prison environment for customers is not the answer. No "features" or promises of "safety" are worth giving up freedom of a once open OS. "

Jason, change.org ↗

"The whole reason I choose Android over iOS is because of the choices I have when I purchase the device. Android make me feel that I own the device. However, if Android takes iOS's walled garden approach there's little reason to select Android over iOS. "

Tyler, change.org ↗

"The restriction of an end-user's ability to control what they can and cannot do with their device that they legally own is inherently malicious and should be illegal. Google is pushing and overreaching in a way that is invasive and threatening to users' privacy and freedom. "

Weston, change.org ↗

"How many of the rights of the people will be taken away? This is ridiculous. If given the choice between security and freedom and privacy, I'll take freedom and privacy 100% of the time. I'm sick of this kind of stuff. "

Deagan Euras, change.org ↗

"Sideloading is a huge part of what makes android awesome. im not updating my phone anymore if this happens "

Cassius, change.org ↗

"I see why this could be a potential issue if this does happen. Hopefully it doesn't go through and it stays the same. "

Gavin, change.org ↗

"I want to own my android and not be censored. "

Analisse, change.org ↗

"I've always bought Android phones because I always liked the freedom of being able to download anything without having to be limited by the phone itself, like Apple. But now that Android is going to become Android 2.0, I'll throw away my Android phone and just buy an Apple if it's going to be the same. 👎 Android is all wrong. "

Mauricio, change.org ↗

"I have advocated for Android since I first got one, as well as developed for them for the past few years. This is regressive, and in the event that it passes I will immediately drop any projects involving android and attempt to find a new open OS for my phone as soon as humanly possible. "

June, change.org ↗

"Sim ao Android "

Cristina, 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 ↗

"Keep Andriod open! "

Andre, change.org ↗

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

Michael, change.org ↗

"Android's philosophy was based on openness. Google wants to take your freedom. They disguise it as security updates, but in reality, they want to rake even more profits and take control of your personal freedom. "

Tyler, change.org ↗

"Either way this is going to lead to a massive lawsuit My phone is my device Google doesn't own it nor does it have the power to tell me what I can and can't install on the device that I own Google believes that it rules the world it's censorship completely destroyed YouTube now they plan to destroy Android in the same way but $1,000 says by this time next year Google will cave to the demands of the people "

Isaiah, change.org ↗

"Android is built on the Linux kernel and draws much of its foundation from the GNU/Linux ecosystem. The spirit of that ecosystem is openness, transparency, and user freedom. Limiting APK installation beyond reasonable security safeguards risks shifting Android toward a controlled ecosystem rather than keeping it an open platform. Security improvements are important, but they should not come at the expense of developer independence, open-source distribution, and users’ freedom to install software responsibly. Instead of restricting APK usage, a better approach would be to improve user education, provide clearer warnings, and offer optional security layers that protect users without limiting their freedom. "

Alireza, change.org ↗

"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 ↗

"This decision breaks the promise of Android. By forcing verification, Google puts barriers to entry, and more importantly, introduces conflicts of interests in the app installation process. There must be an option to opt out of this. Every open source app would need to establish a legal entity to be installed on Android. Developers would be blocked for circumventing limitations that eat into Google's revenue but which aren't inherently illegal or against the ToS (i.e. personal archiving of YouTube videos). This could spell not only the end of Android but also personal computing under our own control. "

Kevin, change.org ↗

"Android used to be the go to mobile if you wanted quality and freedom from having to buy in to one type of tech (e.g. Apple). Now they're forcing developers and users to buy into their tracking. This just may well be the push I need to give up my mobile all together. Thanks Google! "

Jason, change.org ↗

"As a user who has used the Android operating system for several years, this seems quite unfair to app developers who rely on third-party distribution channels, supposedly to "unify" the system and make it "more secure." But it simply eliminates the way third parties who aren't in the Apple App Store can distribute apps; this applies to emulators I can use on Android and apps that aren't available in the App Store. Besides eliminating the freedom they boasted about Apple, they want to implement this business model, which affects app developers' privacy (and it's clear that UK laws are having a significant impact). "

juan pablo, change.org ↗

"Please reconsider this decision. Android has always been about freedom and open source. Being able to support small developers and having choices to sideload apps is integral to Android's success. "

Jay, change.org ↗

"Do not fix something that is not broken. "

Pavel, change.org ↗

"Let's go! Google can be based if we all pray together. "

james, change.org ↗

"Ces é paia mano "

Solalalule, 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 ↗

"I don't want to have to choose between switching phones and being able to download uncensored apps. Most people simply don't have the time or freedom to switch to Linux, and Google knows it. We are not stupid. We don't need their "protection." We can make our own choices for ourselves. "

Adele, change.org ↗

"Freedom to think and develop without cynicism. "

David, change.org ↗

"Delusional to think this wouldn't shrink the number of users. "

Les, change.org ↗

"Android is an open-source system; this restriction will make Android a closed system. I will switch to iPhone if this update is implemented. "

Miguel, change.org ↗

"This is very anti trust and google is doubling down in the form of 'safety and security'. Do not let this happen! "

JASON, 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 ↗

"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 ↗

"I've been an Android user for ever since i was 12, im about to be 30 now and i have never looked back, this is do to one main reason, freedom of choice. I always liked that i can install games and apps directly from developers most of the times. Is one of those things that set Android apart from iOS. Im not as tech savvy as some of my peers, but i do often show off the things i can do on my Android device that family and friends cant do on their iOS, so far i have been able to convince people to switch to Android and they have been enjoying the switch. I feel like iOS is finally catching up to Android in terms of customization features that Android has had for years now, but this decision to limit where i can get apps from would make the system just like iOS. I already quit from newer Samsung Galaxy devices since they got rid of features i still utilize to this day like the Headphone jack and Expandable storage. Today i use a Sony Xperia 1 V, which features both. I even did this personal experiment last year where i got an iPhone for 3 months to truly experience "the other side" and apart from getting use to the new User Interface (UI) the thought i kept having for those 3 months was "i cant get that one app im used to" or "i wish i could get this specific app, but is not on the App Store". When i finally got back to an Android phone the difference felt big, not only was i back to an UI i was so used to, i also didn't feel restricted from my choices in what apps i wanted to install. All and all, this decision to restrict Android users from where we can get our apps, is just another thing that i think will not longer set them apart from an iOS device, and there will be less reasons to choose an phone over the other, making them unexciting and eventually just all blend together. "

Anthony, change.org ↗

"Android needs to stop developer verification! We cannot have a single entity like Google control what we can or cannot have! "

Cheny, change.org ↗

"Google doesn't care about people or their privacy "

Adrian, change.org ↗

"As a long-time Android enthusiast, I strongly oppose your push to force developer ID verification for APK sideloading. This policy erodes the open ecosystem that drew millions to Android, blocking access to legacy apps, region-locked content, and custom tools from sources like F-Droid. Under the guise of security, it stifles innovation and user freedom. Please reverse this immediately and honor Android's roots in choice and accessibility. "

Lucas, change.org ↗

"The restrictive policies blocks me to publish My apps cuz I don't have many testers as they force me to have as an individual developer, now they want to cut off the only way that I have to share My creations "

David, change.org ↗

"Ive used exclusively Android for years because of the freedom it gives its users. Such a wonderful community of developers and users that I know everyone would mourn if it went away. POWER TO THE PEOPLE! "

Alora, change.org ↗

"I bought my Android devices so I could have the freedom to use it as I wish. Google's change goes against every reason I bought my Android devices to use. Keep Android open. Otherwise, what's the point? It feels like I have wasted my time and money now. "

Madison, change.org ↗

"As someone who believes in freedom and not being controlled by the big tech companies, we need Google to reverse this decision, otherwise, I'll just switch to a Linux phone. "

Carter, change.org ↗

"I will dtop uding Android if this is beeing implemented "

Cederick, change.org ↗

"If I wanted to use a locked garden ecosystem, I'd just buy an iPhone. Keep Android open, Google. It is also for your best commercial interest. "

Oscar, change.org ↗

"Google is long overdue to be broken up like AT&T was and this blatantly anti consumer decision to lock down Android proves this. "

Kris, 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 ↗

"The main reason I bought a Pixel was for the freedom of installing whatever I want, but If this is taken away, they would be taking the only reason many people buy their devices. "

Jjr, change.org ↗

"The freedom of apks is one of the best parts about android period. This will kill their identity, our freedom as consumers, and only give more control to the corporate super entity. "

Walace, change.org ↗

"I 100 don't support this, it seems these companies really want to control us and our freedom. If you are frightened by identification theft or scared that someone in your life is not protected enough then teach them, so you can prevent accidents from happening. This isn't a way to go. "

Naba, change.org ↗

"Google is not tuff for ts "

John, change.org ↗

"Giving consumers a choice in their software increases competition and ultimately benefits the consumer in the products they use. Giving choice to developers on how to reach the consumer is beneficial from single developers to large companies as it gives them options to be shown in the spotlight or reach a niche group that would appreciate their product. By giving power to a single organization to determine who the winners and losers are you set that company up to always choose their products over a competitor even if their products are inferior to the competitors. "

John, change.org ↗

"If android isn't open source then it's straight up just a worse iOS literally the only reason we use it is the fact that it's open source 💀 "

Natalia, change.org ↗

"I have always used android for this exact reason. For the freedom to do whatever I want on my device that I paid for. "

Juan, change.org ↗

"Apple's censorship of the App Store is why I have an Android phone. This is not the way to freedom. "

Cameron, change.org ↗

"One of the main reasons i bought a Android device was to sideload apps, but now with this update, it seems as if I should have got an Iphone instead. ��� "

Aarav, change.org ↗

"We've all feared a day like this might come but it was always on the back burner if you will. My how times have changed. I am even more than just concerned ,so much so that I'm giving 30 a month to GNU. I am a limited income individual but I enjoy the advancement de-googling my life very much. F-droid is where I got my feet wet and I am eternally grateful. I told everyone about FOSS ..... Spread the word spread the word spread the word. L.....!!! It is not something you can consider doing any longer. You should already be doing it... Civil war isn't going to be between the rich and the poor, it will be the tech and the non-tech. Film at 11:00.... It sounds to me like they could actually put a huge dent in anything we call normal life. Don't let this happen to us. "

Gregory, change.org ↗

"If I paid for my device I should be able to do whatever I want with it, you don't own it google I do, and your taking away one of the only reasons I love and use an android. "

Dylan, change.org ↗

"Android for a long as I remember was the free option for downloading apps, games, and anything thats not supported anymore through alturnative app stores, unlike apple where everything is lockdown and MUST gobe downloaded through them. by using android and other app stores I can play games or get apps that arent supported/ dont show up on the current play store, but would still work on my phone just fine by downloading it on a 3rd party app store. By google locking down android (in other words becoming a Apple wanna'be) to downloadimg apps through THEIR playstore, they kill off any way for me to use older apps or games because they either cant run in 64bit and are stuck as 32bit apps, or because people dont want to give out their personal information to release their app on the playstore. by google having YOU, the developer, give up your personal info to publish apps on the playstore opens up MANY security vulnrabilities that can lead to the developers personal lnformation being leakedd/doxes/put on the dark web/or sold off to sketchy 3rd party conpanys without their consent. ANDROID has always been OPEN-SOURCED and should remain that way. "

Mathew, change.org ↗

"Android is the operating system for those who want freedom, and to take away our ability to install what we wish, is the start of Google trying to take further control over us. The internet is already falling apart with attempts to "protect" people, but in reality, the internet isn't a place for big companies to try and protect people against their will. "

Dino, change.org ↗

"Apenas apoio "

Immer, change.org ↗

"I only have one thing to comment: Google just wants to make a profit, they are just being greedy. "

Joilton, change.org ↗

"Inaceitável "

Daniel, change.org ↗

"There is no valid reason to do this except greed and control. If someone installs malicious software on their own device thats their issue. "

Jonathan, change.org ↗

"Android is Linux. Linux is free! "

Arthur, change.org ↗

"Google will lose so much money from this, and frankly, we know money is all they care about. Not only is this an obvious nosedive into fascism, it's anti-consumer and I hope Google suffers for it. "

Darien, change.org ↗

"This is the only reason I've bought android phones all my life, if this passes then I'll either install custom software to avoid it or I'll find an alternative device and stop supporting android at all. If i'm not free to do what I want with my phone, then I don't own it and I don't want it. "

brandon, change.org ↗

"Android has always stood for freedom, openness, and user choice. Blocking APKs goes against the very spirit of what makes Android great. Users should have the right to install the apps they want, from the sources they trust, not just from one store. Limiting APKs doesn’t make Android safer; it only takes control away from users and developers alike. Keep Android open. Keep Android free.Android has always stood for freedom, openness, and user choice. Blocking APKs goes against the very spirit of what makes Android great. Users should have the right to install the apps they want, from the sources they trust, not just from one store. Limiting APKs doesn’t make Android safer; it only takes control away from users and developers alike. Keep Android open. Keep Android free. "

Pedro, change.org ↗

"Being an open platform has been one of the key defining features of Android. The ability to install and use any apps regardless of their origin is not a privilege, it is a right. By allowing one entity to say what we as users can or can not use our devices for is another link in the chain that binds and restricts all our freedoms. "

Andrew, change.org ↗

"This whole security benefit is BS "

Jordan, change.org ↗

"I really like the apps that I have found outside of the Google play store. I would be really upset to lose them and for them to stop working "

Jason, 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 ↗

"Another broken Google promise. Keep Android open "

Pero, change.org ↗

"Vamos parar essa empresa mercenárias "

Euler, change.org ↗

"This issue would directly negatively effect my day to day usage of my android phone, concerns of this issue have resulted in me installing GrapheneOS on my phone to avoid this potentially becoming a reality. "

Kyler, change.org ↗

"Will Android now be a copy of iOS? "

Miguel, change.org ↗

"If Google chooses to block any apps they don't approve of from their fork of android, the community will move to other forks. This is already starting to happen and will happen more the more they squeeze. And I'll be hopping on that ship ASAP unless things turn around fast. "

Nayr, change.org ↗

"It is a based no to monopolization of Android from Google. Stop giving them all the power. Together we can ask for change. "

Claudia, change.org ↗

"My device is my device. "

arianna, change.org ↗

"This is the main reason I am a android user. If I have to choice between 2 closed systems then I will go to OS "

Victor Daniel, 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 ↗

"hopefully this does not become one more avenue for freedom and expression that gets restricted by corprate over greed and government overreach. "

manz, 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 ↗

"As someone who has recenlty been looking into privacy. I hope we can limit big corporations hold on our personal lives. "

Ronald, change.org ↗

"I was thinking about buying an android before hearing about this. Now, I think I’ll stick to apple until the fix this. "

Keaton, change.org ↗

"I like android. I don't want it to be like ios 🤮 "

Luke, change.org ↗

"I have contributed to FOSS apps that were published to Google play and F-Droid + similar stores, as well as written multiple apps for myself and family members. Android has long been an open platform that actually gives the user(s) freedom to do what they want with the device they own. However, that free and open model is coming under threat more and more in the name of "security" all while collecting and monetizing our user data. We do not need another walled garden Apple experience. Android users use Android BECAUSE of choice and freedom, not in spite of it. "

Christopher, 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

You bought your phone.
You should decide what runs on it.

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

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