你的手机即将不属于你
自 2026 年 9 月起,Google 将强行推送静默更新,若开发者未在 Google 进行注册、未签署协议、付款或上传官方身份证件,其开发的应用就会被封禁。
全世界所有应用、所有设备都不例外。
↓Google 在做什么?
2025 年 8 月,Google 宣布 了一条新规:自 2026 年 9 月起,所有 Android 开发者都必须集中向 Google 报备,否则开发的软件就无法安装到任何设备上。所有应用均会受影响,包括朋友间互传的软件、在 F-Droid 上发布的软件以及由爱好者开发、个人使用的软件,而不仅限于 Play Store 中的应用。独立开发者、社区组织、业余爱好者等都将无法开发、发布自己的软件。
为了注册,开发者需要:
- 向 Google 支付费用
- 同意 Google 的条款
- 提交政府签发的身份证件
- 证明自己拥有私有签名密钥
- 列出现在和将来所有要使用的应用 ID
若开发者不服从规定,则全球所有 Android 设备会悄然屏蔽他开发的应用。
谁会受害
你
你购买 Android 手机,是因为 Google 曾声明它会开放。你可以任意安装软件,这曾是说明好的。
然而,如今 Google 将要重写协议,追溯到你拥有的设备。更新落地后,你的手机 —— 你的东西,你花钱购买的 —— 将只能运行 Google 许可的软件。
独立开发者
无论是求学少年编写的第一个应用、志愿开发者制作的隐私工具,还是公司内部的保密测试版,均难逃一劫。自 2026 年 9 月之后,以上软件,若 Google 不“赏赐许可”,则都无法安装。
F-Droid 上有数千个自由开源的 Android 应用,它们都认为这次更新堪称“致命”威胁。Cory Doctorow 称之为 “Darth Android”(译注:Darth 引申自《星际大战》中的头号反派,常用于邪恶的代名词)。
Google 给予的“退路”,实则是陷阱
Google 声称“高级用户”可以“继续安装”未验证的应用。可实际情况却是:
- 你需要打开系统设置,找到开发者选项
- 连续点击版本号七次,打开开发者模式
- 关闭“确认你是否受到了胁迫”的恐吓性提示
- 输入设备的 PIN 码
- 重启设备
- 等待 24 小时
- 回到设置,再次关闭恐吓性提示
- 选择“暂时允许”(7 天)或“永久允许”
- 再次确认你清楚所谓的“风险”
*仅仅为了在自己的设备上安装侧载软件,*你就需要九步操作、等待二十四小时强制冷静期。
祸不单行:这一流程完全受Google Play 服务控制,而和 Android 系统无关。Google 可以随时改动、收紧甚至废止,无需系统更新,也无需用户同意。直至今日,它还仅存在于一篇博文和几张效果图里,暂未加入任何 beta、preview 或 canary 版本。
Android 只是起始
如果 Google 能事后锁定数十亿台当初打着“开放平台”旗号售卖出去的设备,全世界其他硬件厂商都可能效仿。
Google 将会建立 “设备的制造商决定消费者购买设备后能装什么软件” 的规则。软件圈中,这称为“割韭菜”,但至少用户依旧可安装其他竞品软件。而至于硬件,剥夺用户的自主权,让用户被不受制衡的“守门人”、被判垄断的巨头任意摆布,即将成为既定事实。
Android 的开放性向来不仅限于功能,而是 Android 区别于 iPhone 的承诺。上百万用户正是出于这一承诺选择了 Android。但如今,Google 因为认定自身市场地位足够主导,监管俘获能力足够强,足以逍遥法外,要单方面撕毁承诺,波及用户早已拥有的设备。
Ars Technica:“Google 嫉妒苹果,要摧毁 Android 开放的传统。”
但是稍等,这不就是……
“……说到底不就是安全吗?”
安全只是借口。Google Play Protect 本身无需了解开发者的身份,即可扫描出恶意软件。即使 Google 索要开发者的身份证件,也无法保证代码安全,只能让开发者受到识别和监控。播撒恶意软件的开发者能够注册,独立开发者和异见人士却反而未必。EFF的评论一针见血:用身份证件把关,就是审查手段,而非安全措施。
“……走高级流程,不还是能侧载吗?”
然而需要九步操作、等待二十四小时强制冷静期,不仅埋藏在开发者选项中,还依赖 Google 随时可中断的专有服务。这并非侧载,而是劝退机制,意图正是让大多数人都无法侧载。而且因为该功能通过 Play 服务而非系统实现,Google 可以悄然收紧或关停。
“……没什么见不得人的,怕什么?”
威权政府下的吹哨人、记者、活动家会首当其冲。其次会轮到家庭暴力受害者。这些群体有必要在分发或使用软件时不向 Google 数据库提供真实身份,理由正当。匿名贡献开源代码的传统早在 Google 建立前就已形成,但新政策会在 Android 上消灭这一传统。
“……苹果不也这么干吗?”
苹果自一开始就是封闭生态。人们选择 Android ,正是因为它不一样。“苹果也这样”堪称竞相逐底的恶性竞争,五十步笑百步。更何况,在欧盟《数字市场法》的监管压力下,苹果反而被迫开放。Google 反其道而行之,试图固化自身在安卓世界的“看门人”地位。
“……不就是 25 美元和填几张表而已?”
或许如此,但前提你身居美国,有信用卡和驾照。倘若你是撒哈拉以南非洲的学生、缅甸的异见人士或维护社区健康应用的志愿者,此时成本就不仅限于钱财了:还需要将身份证件和签名密钥证明交给一个经常配合政府下架应用、供出开发者身份的公司。
如何反击
所有人
- 在你拥有的所有 Android 手机上安装 F-Droid。只有人们大量使用,平替应用商店才能存活下来。
- 联系监管部门。全世界的监管部门都在密切关注科技巨头的垄断和集权问题,也想聆听受害者的真实心声。
- 分享这个页面。让 keepandroidopen.org 遍布网络世界。
- 对抗水军。言必及“其实吧……”的水军已然出动,不可让他们定义叙事。
- 签署 change.org 的请愿书。请愿书已有超 10 万人签名,发声已有人知晓,加入他们。
- 阅读并转发我们的公开信
- 在 Google 自己的调查问卷中,填写你的想法 (大概率无用,但尽力而为)。
开发者
不要注册开发者账号。不要注册 Android 开发者控制台,不要签署 Google 的不可撤销条款,更不要验证身份。不要授人以柄。
Google 的计划只有在开发者配合时才能生效。因此不要配合。
- 劝说其他开发者和组织不要注册。
- 将 FreeDroidWarn 库集成到你的应用中,提醒用户。
- 你在运营网站吗?可以添加一条倒计时横幅。
Google 员工
如果你了解该计划的技术实现方式或内部逻辑,使用非工作电脑、非 Gmail 账号发送邮件到 tips@keepandroidopen.org。我们保证绝对保密。
所有反对者……
来自 23 个国家的 71 个组织签署了 公开信
GNU/Linux València gnulinuxvalencia.org
GitHub Store github-store.org
Fedimedia fedimedia.it
Digital Rights Watch digitalrightswatch.org.au
The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) ccc.de
Rocky Linux rockylinux.org
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) beuc.eu
Cryptee crypt.ee
European Digital Rights (EDRi) edri.org
MetaBrainz Foundation metabrainz.org
Rossmann Group rossmanngroup.com
Vivaldi Technologies AS vivaldi.com
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) fsf.org
The Digital Rights Foundation digitalrightsfoundation.pk
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) fsfe.org
GNOME Foundation gnome.org
The Center for Digital Progress (D64) d-64.org
Nextcloud nextcloud.com
Software Liberty Association of Taiwan slat.org.tw
Techlore techlore.tech
Software Freedom Conservancy sfconservancy.org
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) eff.org
Brave brave.com
epicenter.works – for digital rights epicenter.works
FACiL facil.qc.ca
April april.org
The Calyx Institute calyx.org
Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) ansol.org
FUTO futo.org
Technopolice Bruxelles technopolice.be
/e/ Foundation e.foundation
ARTICLE 19 article19.org
F-Droid f-droid.org
Forbrukerrådet forbrukerradet.no
Italian Linux Society ils.org
Open Rights Group (ORG) openrightsgroup.org
OpenMedia openmedia.org
Digitale Gesellschaft digitale-gesellschaft.ch
Unified Push unifiedpush.org
iodé iode.tech
La Quadrature du Net laquadrature.net
Proton AG proton.me
FOSDEM fosdem.org
FULU Foundation fulu.org
CryptPad cryptpad.org
Data Rights datarights.ngo
Fundación Karisma karisma.org.co 大家怎么说
科技媒体
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Open letter warns mandatory registration 'threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom'"
Infosecurity Magazine
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Sideloading on Android? Soon It'll Be Like a TSA Check for Apps"
Android Headlines
"Google's developer registration 'decree' means the end for alternative app stores"
Cybernews
"Android app store provider Aptoide hits Google with fresh lawsuit alleging monopoly and anticompetitive chokehold"
Benzinga
"Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom"
Tuta Blog
"Sideloading is dead for all intents and purposes. The Android you know and love is slowly disappearing."
Android Police
"Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading"
9to5Google
"It effectively makes the Play Store a monopoly without actually mandating that it is a monopoly."
I-Programmer
"We all know that's a load of bullshit. Adding a goddamn 24-hour waiting period is batshit insanity."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google's Apple envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy"
Ars Technica
"Android, Epic, and What's Really Behind Google's 'Existential' Threat to F-Droid"
Slashdot
"F-Droid project threatened by Google's new dev registration rules"
Bleeping Computer
"Keep Android Open"
Linux Magazine
"Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register"
The Register
"Google's New Developer Rules Threaten to End the F-Droid Open-Source App Store"
How-To Geek
"Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google's New Policy"
Datamation
"F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android's App Verification"
Android Headlines
"Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store"
TechCrunch
"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
"Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google's New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy"
It's FOSS News
"Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google's New Decree"
TechRepublic
"Resistance to Google's Android verification grows among developers"
Techzine EU
"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps"
How-To Geek
"Google's New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid"
Reclaim The Net
"Google says it's making Android sideloading 'high-friction' to better warn users about potential risks"
XDA Developers
"Google's dev registration plan 'will end the F-Droid project'"
The Register
"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback"
InfoWorld
"'Keep Android Open' Movement Challenges Google's Developer Verification Rule"
Open Source For U
"Google is restricting one of Android's most important features, and users are outraged"
SlashGear
"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness"
Internet Freedom Foundation (India)
"Google's new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores"
TechSpot
"Google's Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid"
Techdirt
"Over 67 groups urge the company to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Play"
The Register
"Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store"
The Verge
"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features"
How-To Geek
"Keep Android Open – Abwehr gegen Verbot anonymer Apps von Google"
heise online
"Google's new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid's future"
Gizmochina
"F-Droid Says Google Is Lying About the Future of Sideloading on Android"
How-To Geek
"Android's sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet"
MakeUseOf
"F-Droid says Google's new sideloading restrictions will kill the project"
Ars Technica
"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores"
The New Stack
"This will wipe out Android as an actual alternative to Apple's mobile OS offerings."
Hackaday
"I've been an Android user for almost 15 years -- and Google's sideloading changes are pushing me back to iPhone"
Tom's Guide
评论和分析
"This policy represents a dramatic departure from Android's decades-old tradition of openness, in which developers could build and share apps freely without first submitting to a centralized authority."
Biometric Update
"Once there is no such thing as 'sideloading', there's virtually no difference between iOS and Android. I see no reason to buy Android over iOS at this point."
Thom Holwerda, OSnews
"Google's story that this move is motivated by security is obviously bullshit. The idea that Google can improve Android's safety by certifying developers, rather than code, is obvious bullshit."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"Google has announced that they are altering the deal. And telling us that we should pray that they don't alter it further. Block this policy change now before they wrap their cold metal hands around our necks."
Jesse Wilson, PublicObject.com
"Destroying F-Droid isn't some 'oops.' It's the mission. It's Google finally cutting the last remaining escape route and locking every single user inside their store."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google is turning sideloading from a right into a permission slip, and the open-source community has until September to convince it otherwise."
Reclaim The Net
"This is not about protecting users. This is about control. This is about Google cutting out the last remaining artery of independence in Android."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android."
LLM Advocates
"Developers from sanctioned countries or those without Google Play access cannot verify themselves. This creates systemic discrimination against developers based on birthplace rather than conduct."
agnostic-apollo (Termux developer), GitHub
"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'"
Newsfangled
"Google's attempts to make Android 'more secure' are, in fact, increasing the risk for Android users. The more friction you introduce in the name of security, the more likely users will attempt to bypass security completely."
Ken Buckler, Enterprise Management Associates
"Google isn't certifying apps, they're certifying developers. This implies that the company can somehow predict whether a developer will do something malicious in the future."
Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic
"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem."
PixelUnion
"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth."
PixelUnion
"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge."
Newsfangled
"The $25 isn't the real cost. The chilling effect is. Submitting government ID to Google is a non-starter for pseudonymous contributors and privacy researchers."
Arafat Alim, DEV Community
"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?"
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Although Google's claim is that this is for 'security', it does not prevent the regular practice of scammers buying up existing verified developer accounts."
Maya Posch, Hackaday
"The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours. Google decides which apps are allowed to be loaded on Android and which are not."
Tuta Blog
"The proposed Android Developer Verification program isn't a security update; it's a kill switch for the open ecosystem."
Hillary Keverenge, Tech-ish Kenya
"Innovation may be the biggest casualty in all of this. This new rule erodes your right to make informed decisions about your own devices."
MakeUseOf
"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability."
MerchMindAI
"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants."
Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog
"There is also the very real possibility that Google will leak your identity with the result that any apps with political implications could result in persecution and worse."
I-Programmer
"Sideloading, a longstanding pillar of Android's openness, is now being marginalized, placing the Android platform closer to the walled-garden approach of Apple's iOS."
Purism
"Android is not open anymore. It's not an alternative. It's not even trying. It's iOS with ads and spyware bolted on."
fireborn, mataroa.blog
"Google has announced what can only be described as a death blow to the open ecosystem that made Android. Under the guise of 'security,' Google is implementing draconian developer verification requirements."
AndroidSage
"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices."
It's FOSS News
"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces."
Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab
"Google's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem."
Techdirt
组织和公开信
"Google Play itself has repeatedly hosted malware, proving that corporate gatekeeping doesn't guarantee user protection."
F-Droid
"A policy that forces every Android developer to hand their identity to Google, regardless of whether they use Google's services, makes Android a less-open and less-private platform."
Brave
"Google 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
"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
"Nearly 50 organizations published an open letter opposing what they characterize as a 'kill switch for the open ecosystem.'"
Tech-ish Kenya
"Centralised, intransparent security architectures certainly help secure monetization and the market by locking out competitors."
Nextcloud
"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
"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
"Ultimately, Google's plan will stop you from owning your Android phone."
Tuta
"While Android used to be praised for its freedom and independence, it will become a closed shop just like Apple."
Tuta
"MEP Christel Schaldemose formally questioned whether Google's mandatory central registration is compatible with the Digital Markets Act."
European Parliament
"Independent software distribution on Android will now require Google's explicit permission."
AdGuard
"Verification just confirms who's behind the app, it doesn't guarantee clean code or rule out malicious behavior."
AdGuard
"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 are running out of time until Google becomes the gate-keeper of all users devices."
F-Droid
"Android's biggest strength has always been its openness. That's what attracted developers and users in the first place."
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
"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
"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
"Developers who build privacy-first browsers, encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, Tor-based software or tools for journalists and activists would be required to upload government ID to Google. These developers are unlikely to trust Google and might stop developing for Android."
Brave
"Remember: It's your phone, your data, your freedom. Don't let Google take it away."
Tuta
"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'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
"We unequivocally advise against signing up for this program, now or ever."
F-Droid Open Letter
"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
"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
"For developers building tools specifically designed to protect user privacy, being forced to surrender their own personal data as a precondition for distribution is deeply contradictory."
AdGuard
"This 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
"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
Youtube 博主和创作者
"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
"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
"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 isn't testing this in the US or Europe first. They're starting in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Why? Because these are massive growth markets where regulation is weaker. By the time regulators catch up, the damage will already be done."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"This 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
"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
"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
"Developers of privacy-focused tools and emulators will have to dox themselves, making them vulnerable to government agencies or legal action."
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
"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
"This means you can't sideload an app from an unofficial source. But it could also be used to lock the ecosystem so we're forced to install only Google apps on approved Google OS versions."
Rob Braxman Tech – Locals
"Google 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
"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'"
SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube
"Google decides what's safe for you, and you don't get a say."
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
"Your device, their rules. The phone you bought and paid for is no longer really yours."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"Follow the money. Google makes money when apps are downloaded from its store. Google has completely forgotten about its earlier company motto: Don't be evil."
Tuta Blog – Blog
"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
"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
"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
"That's not openness. That is control."
ChiefGyk3D – YouTube
"Android has become what they set out to destroy."
Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – 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 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
"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
开发者和社区
"Some time in the future, we will look back to this era and ask ourselves what went wrong."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"They have stolen a free product and are now actively locking out the people who built it."
TheTearMiser, Lemmy
"Social engineering is destroyed with education, not with restriction and control. Trading freedom for safety eliminates both."
survirtual, Hacker News
"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability."
afferi300rina, Hacker News
"You are essentially a child to them. The difference is society has decided not to step in to protect you from your abusive parents."
globular-toast, Hacker News
"Google's own Play Store had over 600 million malware downloads. They keep talking about 'security' but their own store is crawling with fake apps and straight up malware while actual useful stuff gets buried or rejected."
Historical-Employ129 (324 upvotes), Reddit
"If your country is ever in the crosshairs of 'American interests' and bears the brunt of its sanctions, it is possible that you cannot install apps from your fellow citizens. Your own local government, bank, and store apps."
devsda, Hacker News
"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
"The phrase 'sideload' is psychological propaganda we are all best off rejecting."
WaffleMonster, Slashdot
"Modern life practically forces you to put all your eggs into a phone controlled by one of two profit-seeking companies."
koala, Lobsters
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Play store is full of scam apps, F-Droid isn't, but Play Store is considered secure. It's all theatre."
gcupc, Lobsters
"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
"It's not cyclic. It's a ratchet and it gets tighter and tighter."
BenjaminRi, Lobsters
"Brazil government app refuses to operate with developer mode on."
flykespice (developer in Brazil), Hacker News
"There's an entire genre of scamming where the scammers spend months building rapport with their victims before cashing out. One day is nothing."
free_bip (on the 24-hour wait defeating scammers), Hacker News
"We are talking about something categorically worse than vendor lock-in: Collective vendor lock-in."
anordal, Lobsters
"Signal, VPNs -- they'll have a list of everyone opting out of government-mandated backdoors."
Max-P, Lemmy
"Antitrust action is badly needed. It is ridiculous that I need permission from my device manufacturer to install software on hardware I own."
jim201, Hacker News
"The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom."
layfellow, 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
"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
"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively."
gumby271, Hacker News
"Google seems to actively hate people who develop for their platforms."
hbn, Hacker News
"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone."
hn92726819, Hacker News
"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
"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone."
girvo, Hacker News
"We need to start treating phones differently. We're entering a world where we can't choose what we run on them. Their primary purpose is to gather data on us and serve us advertising, they're engineered for addiction, yet engaging in the world is immensely difficult without one."
specproc, Hacker News
"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
"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut."
Apocryphon, 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
"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
"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
"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
"For 'security' -- always security with these assholes. They're just building the walls of the walled garden higher."
lynxy, Tildes
"Twice I have had to deal with Google silently disabling my drone app to the point I had to buy an older phone to perform work. When I purchase a device that works with another device, under no circumstances should I be at the mercy of any updates they make."
cbrophoto (drone professional), Reddit
"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on."
nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News
"I want to deploy apps on my device. They are my apps, it's my device, and I should not be required to ask for permission to do so."
fsniper, Hacker News
"Software gatekeeping is a threat to human rights. Just recently an app to track ICE was banned from the iOS app store even though this should clearly be protected first amendment speech."
gthing, Reddit
"Google now has a flag on my phone they can control remotely to keep me from accessing the apps I want."
vala, Lemmy
"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
"Google's plan to require developer verification would give Google and governments the ability to ban any app."
Zak, 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
"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
"You have no right telling me what I can and cannot run on my own devices."
MrZander, Hacker News
"Android was never actually open and now they are abandoning even the thin pretense."
Tiraon, Tildes
"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human."
tejtm, 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
"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
"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
"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
请愿者的呼声
"You're forcing us to create an alternative. We live in an age of increasingly powerful AI, we will not let you control everything. "
Anthony, change.org
"I strongly believe that Android used to be the go to for app developers and it is essential that they keep their open policy because it only opens up more users to test their apps for them before a full official release "
Garrette, change.org
"Dear Google, you are single handedly destroying the whole purpose for which we use Android. Not only will you see a mass exodus from Google devices/services, you will force the creation of alternative operating systems that allow for user privacy and fredom for app developers. You all are making it harder for yourselves and for us. "
Kevin, change.org
"Android’s intended purpose has always been to be an open, permissionless operating system. By requiring developer "verification" to install apps, Google is turning a personal device into a corporate-controlled appliance. I oppose this policy because: Ownership: I bought the hardware; I should decide what software runs on it without a "gatekeeper." Privacy: Forcing independent developers to "dox" themselves to Google kills anonymous, pro-privacy innovation. Freedom: Sideloading must remain a right, not a privilege granted by a Google-controlled ID system. Keep Android open. Don't build a walled garden. "
Jordan, change.org
"I can explain why I use Android, and therefore Google services, by the fact that Google used to care about its users, their rights, and their freedom. Although not as much as we would like. After what Google has presented, my phone will soon be no different from an iPhone. I'm not happy about this; I want freedom. I want the freedom to install the apps and APK files I choose, not just the ones I am "allowed" to download. "
Sviatoslav, change.org
"Your OS literally wouldn't exist without Linux. Stick to the "
Caleb, change.org
"Open source is people power "
Nathan, change.org
"The life of Android is its openness. If I make an apk, I don't have to jump through hoops to install it on my device. If I install an apk from the internet, that is my choice. Verification in this regard is like requiring a government stamp on a written statement before it can be said in public: a gross overreach. I am not benefited as a consumer nor as a developer with this move, but I am harmed in every single way. "
John, change.org
"If this update is released, I will switch to iPhone. "
Miguel, change.org
"What sets Android apart from other OS' is its open source. This move will make Android just like every other OS. There will be no point in using Android. We'll all take out business to some other OS. "
Evo, change.org
"I and many others rely on and enjoy using apps outside of Google's controlled storefront. Attempting to restrict the freedom and choice of users is anti-consumer and an insult to the autonomy of everyone who chooses to use their own devices as they see fit. The market for mobile device hardware and operating systems is already a duopoly; limiting choice even further is anti-competitive. People can and should be able to decide what code is allowed to run on their general computing devices that they own. "
Ryan, change.org
"We need to keep Android open! "
Caleb, 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
"How Google came about to be the say all of android is probably by phone users lazyness to learn or try other Interfaces then the default paid preinstalled apps.. "
Chris, change.org
"It's serious that Android is doing this to those who make independent games, or stealing our data under the guise of security. I want to speak out because this is unfair. "
Cesar, change.org
"We own the phones so we should be able to do whatever we want with them. Waiting a short period is not the way to do it. This feels like control and blocks. We are not kids. Please let us actually have control of our phones. "
nicholas, change.org
"Please, google, no change you words, no comeback with them, we of android ecosystem need a system open. "
Matheus, change.org
"I should be allowed to make my own decisions about what I want to install on my device, smartphones nowadays are basically pocket computers and the ability to install apps from any source is by far the biggest reason I chose Android over iOS. Only being able to install apps from verified developers also gives power to Google to censor apps they don't like. "
Ryan, change.org
"If wee do not stop this then our computers are next. We will end up the same as other countries who put out the same message to their people to condition them. Our freedom of speech and the right to privacy under the privacy act will be taken away. You do not want this!!! "
Keith, change.org
"By implementing mandatory developer registration in September 2026, Google is fundamentally betraying the core promise of Android as an open ecosystem. This shift towards a restrictive, gatekeeper model breaks user trust, kills anonymous innovation, and signals that Android is no longer about user freedom, but rather total corporate control. This is the end of the open platform I chose to support. I urge Google to reverse course it is not too late. The path we are heading on is a very dark one . If you carr only about money you should consider how much money you will lose from this.. I will be leaving Googles ecosystem entirely from chrome, to gemini, to android . I Have been with Google since the beta invites of Gmail but this direction I cannot support and WILL not. Apple would be smart to take advantage of this and capture a gigantic portion of your marketshare. I know I will be using my iphone instead of my s25 ultra. "Don't be evil" - Google But even step you have taken is from greed and control. Which is evil. You have betrayed the very people who made you who you are. "
Michael, change.org
"Removing Android's freedom of sideloading is bad. People use Android because they have freedom, no matter the brand—Samsung, Google, etc. But now they want to get rid of our freedom; that is horrible. People who are developers who don't want to pay to publish their app on the store could, but with this going through, changes EVERYTHING. Sign this petition, Android can't go down like this. "
Elias, change.org
"I paid for the computer, its mine, I should be able to put whatever I want on it. I hate google, I will be removing every google associated anything from my life because of their continued abuse. "
Brenden, change.org
"The only reason I own any Android devices is the ease with which I can load my own self-written programs. Creating friction in the form of forcing me to register or jump through hoops to run my programs will 100% cause me to abandon the platform, as easy, no-contract installation of software is literally the only feature of Android that I actually like (the OS is generally not very reliable, the usability is poor, and easy side loading is the only feature that differentiates the system from iOS.) It sure seems to me that with this plan, Google must really want to help Apple sell iPhones and iPads. If you remove the openness of Android, all Apple will need to do is release a cheaper phone and tablet than what Samsung has in order to destroy Android forever. Google overestimates the degree to which Android users are locked in to the platform; most Android users have it because Android phones are cheaper than iPhones. The rest of us are programmers who like our freedom, and this platform hostility will drive us away, which won't be good for the Google Play Store's selection of effort-free profits for Google. "
Casey, change.org
"Free will is pretty cool. Kinda the whole reason Android is superior to Apple. Maybe don't become Apple. That'd be pretty cool. If I didn't want free will anymore I would have purchased an Apple device. Google. Don't be like Apple. Thank you. "
Tyler, change.org
"This move is a step backward for the Android ecosystem for so many reasons, but most of because all Google claiming this is for "security" is very disingenuous. Malware already exists on the Play Store, and restricting independent, open-source software does not make users safer, it only makes the ecosystem more closed and worse off. This is anti-consumer to a tee and should not be allowed to happen. "
Teemu, change.org
"The freedom Android offers for young inquisitive minds is the entery way to Dev-Land. Certainly they are aware of how many of their employees started from this basic idea and how many they may loose by taking it away. Not only that do they really believe we won't migrate to something better? But as a consumer we need to try and understand what the future will look like, why this is the decision not just for Android but for Windows and more. "
Joseph, change.org
"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
"With Google aiming to lockdown Android, what makes it any different than Apple? The only reason I and many others opt for Android is because it's openness! "
Christian, 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
"We have the right to use our phones as we like. DON'T BREAK OUR FREEDOM "
Ferdari, change.org
"Google, don't make me get the spray bottle. "
Skipps, change.org
"I stayed away from smart phones in the early days because they were locked down. It was only after I saw that Android was an open platform that I was willing to even try one. If Google locks down Android, then I will either switch to a basic feature phone, with no data (suits me fine, mobile data is ridiculously expensive), or I will hack together a Linux phone. What's the point in having Android if it just turns in to a.aecond-rate iOS? "
William, change.org
"whatever happened to actually owning something you bought? like seriously stop with this nonsense. I should be able to install things onto my phone as I see fit. "
Eric, change.org
"Many of the apps I use for managing Type 1 diabetes require sideloading. If the hobbyist plan has any restrictions (which it most likely will), it could impact my personal health. We need full transparency about how this will work, or for this to be cancelled. "
1712, change.org
"Android has always been about freedom, let's not change that "
Gabriel, change.org
"This is a de facto monopolization strategy and must not be allowed. Censorship and data harvesting are already proliferating, this will make those issues worse. "
Michel, change.org
"Implanting a feature like this would just kill the whole point of why i brought an android device. Might as well switch to apple, cause at least I would have a more cohesive experience. "
Edgar, change.org
"Enough freedoms have been taken away, so leave the tech ALONE!!! "
John, change.org
"It started with apple restricting our freedoms to software due to their desire to control their users. Now that same desire to control us has reached android a platform built on freedom. This is the final stance we can take against a future where you own nothing in the name of safety. "
Barrett, change.org
"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
"The only reason why I absolutely love android is because it makes me feel like I actually OWE my device and can do with it whatever I please to do, if google is limiting what I CAN or CANT do this means the device is no longer mine and why would I stick with android when there is other ecosystems like iOS which are SO much better than googles tracking and privacy? I want android to stay the way it’s been, open, amazing and fulfilling for users like me and so many others, all of my friends and family members use/have android because it belongs to them, if google decides to implement this APK blocking I assure them everyone around me will start buying iPhones! "
Andres, change.org
"Allow us beginning programmers get comfortable with writing scripts and getting used to a whole new set of rules without needing to have licenses that cost money. "
Wes, change.org
"I love making apps for my self on appinventor but when I heard this news I couldn't believe it. I don't want to be an approved developer because I only make these apps for myself, my friends and my family. This would make android feel less open source and is a horrible thing from Google to do this. This doesn't benefit anyone and only crushes creativity. #DONTBELIKEAPPLE "
Justin, change.org
"I wanted to switch to android because I liked the ability to still have acess to older apps and software when it no longer works. I currently have an Iphone and can no longer use older versions due to the age of my phone. Hearing this news will definitely lead me to proabably buy an Iphone over android. I will no longer have the right to download cool apps like emulators or download apps that no longer work properly on the version of the phone and software I have. I believe Google needs to reverse it decision on banning sideloading. It is a free ecosystem and users understand the risks if they do it. It is unfair for all android phones to be affected because most phones use Android and I belive this monopoly on technology needs to stop. "
Kalista, change.org
"The advantage of Android is precisely its freedom to choose what to do with your system and applications, just as developers have the freedom to choose where to distribute. Please do not limit the installation of APKs. There is already a warning and optional block for “unknown” apps where we currently have choices. Do not trade freedom for a false sense of security! "
Matheus, change.org
"It doesn't surprise me to hear that GOOGLE is going to do this. It's not about creating something that could possibly be of benefit anymore. The all mighty dollar has to raise it's ugly head now days or it's just not worth doing. "
Ralph, change.org
"Google motto used to be "Don't be evil". Today, it doesn't mean anything because they do everything to be evil and greedy. Not many people will follow your restrictions that you like it or not, there is always a way. The Internet is ours, not yours. :) "
Jacob, change.org
"Why would you change what is by far the most appealing aspect of your operating system? Why would you choose to take the thing that set Google apart from Apple and imitate them? A locked down, dumbed down, "My way or the highway" approach to your user base is insulting, and now people will be desperately trying to find out create a new option, and you'll have no way to compare favorably even against your biggest competitor because you're choosing to be in the same boat. "
Michael, change.org
"The entire reason I chose android over apple was the freedom I had to do what I wanted on the device I paid for. Google enforcing this "lock-down" is just shooting themselves in the foot and giving people more reason to give apple a shot. "
Riley, change.org
"I do not need hpw to be told how to use my phone. If android goes through this Im downgrading to flip phones and will never use androids again. Ive never used Apple for this reason. Let me decide whats good or ill for myself, I am a grown autonomous human being and do not need to be kept "safe" by a large corporation, safe from what Im not even sure? Sounds like control not safety. "
Jake, change.org
"After this decision I will just go with iPhone, this was the only reason I was using Android, just making it worse for the consumer, this is not about security but locking down people's choice of store, which in my opinion should be illegal give that we bought our phones and we should be able to do with them as we please "
Colin, change.org
"I made the choice to use top tier devices that run Android OS because it gives me the freedom to customize my device to my wants, likes, and needs. This is a HUGE deciding factor for any items I, and many others, choose to purchase. "Can I make it mine?" As the de facto IT team-of-one where I work (A small all natural deodorant manufacturer that is currently the quickest growing and is becoming one of top rated brands in the US), people ask me about everything tech. I unequivocally recommended Android devices to the everyday "not-hacking-my-devices" person, and even to those that are techno-wizards. The ability to embrace the freedoms of style, function, usability, and privacy are indispensable in tech. The reasons being: You are not locked into an ecosystem that extorts money from its users and developers, while limiting the functions available to you. You can customize the system to your needs or wants. Less so now that before, but it's still doable and reasonably fun for most. Yet, MOST IMPORTANTLY, it gives you the freedom of creativity and discovery! These devices have the potential to do so much; and as users we have the potential to create so many amazing things! Maybe just for ones own amusement, just to see what they can make, or to discover new skills and challenges. Within that though, there is the potential to create something that changes people's lives, be it just entertainment or something far more significant. By limiting the ability to develop and customize the services you limit the concept of the device. By locking down the system you are locking down growth and the potential of many curious minds. "
Elizabeth, change.org
"I refuse to be locked into only the play store. I need to be able to use f-droid and or install my own apk files as I will. It's my comptuer! "
Tom, change.org
"Mandating government identification and a registration fee to share software is a direct violation of the open-source principles and digital privacy that defined the platform. This change creates an unnecessary financial barrier for independent developers and students, effectively stifling global innovation and the creation of niche, non-commercial tools. By positioning itself as the sole gatekeeper of all app installations, Google is stripping away user autonomy and transforming a once-free ecosystem into a restrictive "walled garden." "
Ibrahim, change.org
"What is an android without weird apps installed from a weird website... I'm just kidding but that is what make better android you can make anything that you want. but if you can't install apps from outside of the play store you are going to lose so much content and I don't talk English so well but for this cause I'm did learn... An android without free apps not is an real android. And I'm not talking about like all apps need to don't cost I'm talking of being free of install any thing that you need. That's all thanks for read and remember being free is better than being dreaming. "
Elias, change.org
"As I'm planning on purchasing a new device soon, this announcement is making me reconsider choosing android at all. If it is moving towards controlling user freedoms, Android becomes less compelling, as that has been the major draw for me. "
Taryn, change.org
"Android has always been defined as the more open platform. What gets people to move away from Apple is to get away from the closed ecosystem from having direct control over their own devices. This runs contrary to Androids original mission statement and what the platform stands for. This is not what I want for my device nor my family wishes for this either. "
Logan, change.org
"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
"Lets keep android open or change to linux phone. Together we can. "
Sin, change.org
"Keep Android Free and Open! Locking down Android isn't about safety it's about control and censorship! "
Donald, change.org
"The openness of the platform is one of the determining factors when choosing in favor of Android. "
Pavel, change.org
"Don't trust billionare companies, they want to take away our choice! "
Hugo, change.org
"Freedom to choose... With this new move by Google, that freedom is ripped away. Moves like this are things monopolies do, and Google has now proven it wants to be a monopoly. Android has been the staple of choice and open source since it's inception and taking that away is a slap in the face to every person who chooses to customize their phone, and create an experience unique and exclusive to them. Google, stop this foolishness by not forcing users and developers hands. They should have the freedom to choose what they want, or how they develop. "
Kevin, 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 strongly oppose this change. Google should HIGHLY reconsider this idea. It's SPECIFICALLY this freedom that makes me go with android to begin with. This freedom of choice is what separates them from Apple. If this change goes into effect you will see many users either switch to Apple, or find any possible alternatives that support these options. "
Zachary, change.org
"It's not sideloading. It's installing an application on a personal computing device I own and payed for... This move is unacceptable. "
Benjamin, change.org
"The biggest edge Android has had is choice, control, and openness, which is sorely lacking in competitors like with Apple's operating systems. This is the exact opposite of what consumers, developers, and contributors to AOSP want. This is a gross overstep. "
Jordan, change.org
"Sideloading is not a term. It is called installing. Do not take our choices away. Isn't America proud of their freedom, so don't take ours freedom away. Our device, our decisions "
Quoc Huy, change.org
"The act of restricting a user's choice of how or where they get their applications is against the concept of a free market and is a monopolization of how applications are distributed. Forcing developers into the play store is against everyone's freedom of choice. Point blank and center. There is no logic that suggests such a change is good or necessary. The play store can be a place for an average user to download their apps. But the user should have every right to be able to install software on their device which they purchased outside from other sources if they want. There is no good reason for a hardware vendor, OEM, or software company should have the right to limit you on what you can or cannot do with your device. Nor should they have the right to limit developers either. This is an attack on one of the culprit reasons on what made Android great in the first place. Especially compared to the competition (eg. Apple). Such a restriction would lead Android's package and software installation into a direct monopoly with nearly full control of how applications are distributed, rather than letting user's sourcing them from other places if they prefer. When I buy a desktop computer, I fully expect to be able to install my own OS on it, install my own software, and get the installer from their website, or maybe use a command promot/terminal to install it from a package manager. That is freedom of choice. I fully expect the same from any device I purchase for personal use and that is my right because it is a product I paid for. These companies are consistently abusing software and their terms of agreement to essentially change the terms of sale after you bought it. Which is a different issue in itself, yet can tie directly make into these restrictions and practices. It's highly predictable behavior. And frankly no consumer benefits from such change. It'll be argued "for the sake of security and system integrity", yet these companies do not have the spine and integrity to mention the real reasons behind it. Never mind even with such restriction, the Google Play Store is littered with predatory and malicious applications that float around 24/7, yet they intend on restricting apps on the outside that a lot of legitimate developers who put a lot of work into a free and open software platforms they use to give users alternative options of often what is even better software then what is on the Play Store. This is absolutely undoubtedly a severely anti-consumer practice that does not protect you, but monopolizes the delivery of software and restricts access to users and developers. This should never be supported on an "open platform". Such a change fundamentally would turn Android into a predatory, monopolistic and proprietary anti-consumer software. No different from iOS. "
Steve, change.org
"Android's strength has always been its openness. Closing or limiting this system violates users' trust in the principles that led them (or rather, us) to choose Android as their (our) OS. That's why we urge you to keep Android open and not implement any developer or app registration system. Build bridges and educate your users to venture beyond them, rather than erect walls trying to isolate them. "
Edoardo, change.org
"I only somewhat recently found open source apps and some of my favorite apps to use for certain services have easily become my favorite ones to use above googles or the play stores apps, and I trust apps from F-droid and other sources more than I would trust apps from the play store or even baked in apps with some that would actually make doing things less easy and enjoyable if suddenly I was unable to use them "
Robert, change.org
"Pαrα sαlvαr Αndroid "
Jhon Harrison, change.org
"Android gives us a choice. That is so so important to us in this day and age. Please let us continue to do so. "
Jenna, change.org
"Sideloading is what keeps Android as a different thing compared to iOS. Taking that away is like making it the same. Worst, decision, ever. "
Marcos Eloy, change.org
"This is going to kill Android "
Hazel, change.org
"Because Android will become IOS but worse if this goes into effect. "
Dominick, change.org
"I switched to Android to escape Apple's aggressively anti-consumer walled garden. My S20 Ultra (that I paid over $1600 for, after tax) is finally starting to show it's age, but now I have no incentive to get another android device for my next smartphone if you follow through with these changes. I've been a vocal supporter of Android for years, but if you don't scrap this change, I will boycott Alphabet products altogether and do my best to ensure as many others as possible are well-informed on why they should do the same. "
Jacob, change.org
"If I wanted my phone to be a prisoner in a fascist dictatorship I'd have an iPhone. I've been thinking about degoogling my life, maybe now is the time to do it. "
Karl, change.org
"the declaration of independance prolly said something about this... "
john, 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
"The transformation of Android into a closed platform would likely erode its competitive advantage over Apple, potentially positioning Apple as the superior option. As an open-source project, Android should ideally operate without the necessity of governmental or private authorizations. Should Google proceed with such a change, it is highly probable that new operating systems will emerge. These decisions by Google could result in significant detriments to the company without yielding any discernible benefits. As a shareholder, I strongly recommend that Google refrain from pursuing this course of action. I oppose any initiative that would necessitate third-party authorization upon installing and operating applications for the Android platform, as this represents a threat to consumers and creators alike, and moves us closer to a monopolistic market. "
Pedro, change.org
"Unnaceptable betrayal of platform standards "
Lukas, 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
"The openness of Android is the *only* reason many of us care. We understand Google is trying desperately to make as much money as possible, but locking down the developer ecosystem will result in the exact opposite effect. Short term thinking for short term gain. "
Avery, change.org
"I have been an Android user since smartphones became mainstream, and the primary reason I chose Android was the freedom it offers. Unlike other platforms, Android allows users to install applications from outside official stores, enabling innovation, experimentation, and personal control over our own devices. Over the years, I have used open-source applications from platforms like GitHub and F-Droid, many created by independent developers who may not have the resources—or the desire—to publish through centralized stores. In some cases, I have even modified open-source code to suit my personal needs and compiled my own versions of apps. This is not just a niche use case—it represents the very spirit of open computing. Requiring developers to submit personal identification and restricting distribution channels will disproportionately impact: Independent and open-source developers Users in region-restricted environments Applications that are no longer available on official stores This change does not just improve security—it introduces control over who is allowed to distribute software, fundamentally shifting Android away from being an open platform. If users are no longer free to install applications of their choice, Android devices risk becoming restricted ecosystems similar to closed platforms—where functionality is determined not by the user, but by a central authority. The ability to sideload apps is not a loophole—it is a defining feature of Android. Removing or weakening it undermines user autonomy, developer freedom, and the very reason many of us chose this platform in the first place. "
Eranga, change.org
"Google is wrong to limit people installing whatever they want on what's supposed to be their phone. "
Spark, change.org
"Google already limited us with Android apps that are from the Play Store, now they want to censor even more?? What's the goal behind all this?! Control?? And I'm from Brazil, why Brazil was in first place regarding this??? Is the law more important than the customers? So why are they adopting ideas that Restrict consumer Freedom??? Don't you think about the Well-Being of People, of the Consumer!??? All of this is a Game to me, and you're Using the Controller for Pleasure, NOT for the Good of Society in General! That's why I'm Really Against this law!! "
Bruno Eduardo, change.org
"As a big android user I love the option to try out apps that people make that dont want to use google play. Or the ability to sideload an app if its not "officially" supported but can run fine. The open nature of it is what makes things great and taking that away will push away people. "
T, change.org
"Side loading is the way I have made my phone run better, my privacy has been better maintained and it gives me freedom that Google and Apple don't. By blocking side loading apps Google is essentially turning into another Apple. It is no wonder why Motorola is looking at returning GraphineOS as well as other manufacturers are using Linux based phone OS's. People need that freedom that android has given us. "
Daniel, change.org
"LEAVE ANDROID ONLY PLEASE "
Chapo, change.org
"I chose Android for the very reason of it being open and letting me run whatever software I want. Don’t take that away after I’ve already bought my device. Millions of us chose Android for the exact reason of what you're trying to censor. Don’t lock it down because you think you know better. If I wanted a company deciding what I can or can’t do on my own device, I’d buy an iPhone instead. "
Paulo, change.org
"Apoio à liberdade "
Kayo Junior, change.org
"When I buy a device, I own the right to choose how I use the device. I have the right to repair and replace any part of the device, and that includes the software running on it. "
Drew, 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
"Eliminating side loading will remove the main competitive edge that Android has over iOS, remove the open nature that users enjoy and prevent certain use cases. "
Chris, change.org
"Android is open source, period. On top of that, I'm buying the device. I own my phone, and that means I should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want with it! If I want to click on links from sketchy sites and download things that are not directly from the Google Play Store, I should be able to. Google claims this is to protect their users, but it's nothing more than censorship and crushing competition from a private, anonymous, and often better competitors making free and open source apps on platforms like F-Droid or Obtanium. It's like saying that you aren't allowed to hang a picture you bought from your friend in your own house that your bought, unless your friend pays Google $25 and gives them their ID, but you can hang as many pictures in your house as you like if you buy them directly from Google. Doesn't that sound absurd? "
Thomas, change.org
"I love the freedom to use whatever program APK I wish and Appl........Google wants to take that away from us? Expect lawsuits in your future. BTW I HATE the play store, F-Droid ALL THE WAY "
David, change.org
"Google needs to STOP! Taking away MY Right to choose what apps I will or won't use is completely UNACCEPTABLE and ILLEGAL! Freedom of Choice has always been a hallmark of the Android lifestyle. Unlike Apple's closed-box system, Android's relatively open nature gives me the ability to choose FOSS apps over paid closed-source apps, saving me both money AND the lost sleep over repeated worries about tracking, ads and spyware in the apps I regularly use. Google's recent decision to lock the system down and force devs to pay huge "membership" fees, surrender ALL their rights under a TOS that is AGAINST them developing without providing the ID and private signature keys and listing any application IDs they have. If this isn't the behavior of a monopoly, than please define to me what is?! "
Stephen, change.org
"This seems important not to let Google be the all powerful mega corp "
Adrian, change.org
"Dear Google, As a life-long Android user, the perspective of this program ever coming into place is simply devastating. The Android Project was built with the promise of open-source software, community-driven development and digital freedom at its core. This promise has been a vital part of its success, from its humble beginnings to the widely popular and prolific ecosystem we have today. Any measure that does not fully respect these core values is a direct threat to the Android Project as a whole and a betrayal of its community. I believe the "Android developer verification requirements" program as it stands is such a measure. Therefore, I urge everybody involved at Google to seriously reconsider this program to the benefit of the Android Project and its community. Sincerely- "
Yoann, change.org