Your Phone Is About to Stop Being Yours: 70 Days Until Lockdown

Keep Android Open

Hero

Your phone is about to stop being yours.

70

days until lockdown

Starting in 2027 * , 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.

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What's happening

What Google is doing

In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting in 2027, 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:

• Paying a fee to Google

• Agreeing to Google's Terms and Conditions

• Surrendering your government-issued identification

• Providing evidence of your private signing key

• Listing all current and all future application identifiers

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

Who gets hurt

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. In 2027, 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."

The "solution" that isn't

Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

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

• Delve into System Settings, find About Phone

• Tap the build number seven times to enable Developer Mode

• Dismiss scare screens about coercion

• Enter your PIN

• Restart the device

• Wait 24 hours

• Come back, dismiss more scare screens

• Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"

• 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.

Why you should care

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."

Objections addressed

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 of your signing keys to a company that routinely complies with government demands to remove apps and expose developers.

What you can do

Fight back

Everyone

• Install F-Droid on every Android device you own. Alternative stores only survive if people actually use them.

• Contact your regulators. Regulators worldwide are genuinely concerned about monopolies and the centralization of power in the tech sector, and want to hear directly from individuals who are affected and concerned.

• Share this page. Link to keepandroidopen.org everywhere.

• Push back on astroturfers. The "well, actually..." crowd is out in force. Don't let them set the narrative.

• Sign the change.org petition and join the over 100,000 signatories who have made their voices heard.

• Read and share our open letter

• Tell Google what you think of this through their own developer verification survey (for all the good that will do) .

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.

• Talk other developers and organizations out of signing up.

• Add the FreeDroidWarn library to your apps to warn users.

• Run a website? Add the countdown banner.

Google employees

If you know something about the program's technical implementation or internal rationale, contact [email protected] from a non-work machine and a non-Gmail account. Strict confidence guaranteed.

Signatories

All those opposed…

71 organizations from 23 countries have signed the open letter

FULU Foundation

fulu.org

OW2

ow2.org

XMPP Standards Foundation

xmpp.org

Open Web Advocacy

open-web-advocacy.org

Cryptee

crypt.ee

The OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF)

osmfoundation.org

microG

microg.org

Fedimedia

fedimedia.it

The Center for Digital Progress (D64)

d-64.org

The Chaos Computer Club (CCC)

ccc.de

Tuta Mail

tuta.com

Fastmail

fastmail.com

Brave

brave.com

AdGuard

adguard.com

iodé

iode.tech

FACiL

facil.qc.ca

Obtainium

obtainium.imranr.dev

GNU/Linux València

gnulinuxvalencia.org

Aurora Store

auroraoss.com

Codeberg e.V.

codeberg.org

JMP.chat

GitHub Store

github-store.org

MetaBrainz Foundation

metabrainz.org

Privacy Guides

privacyguides.org

Italian Linux Society

ils.org

Data Rights

datarights.ngo

Osservatorio Nessuno OdV

osservatorionessuno.org

epicenter.works – for digital rights

epicenter.works

Technopolice Bruxelles

technopolice.be

Open Rights Group (ORG)

openrightsgroup.org

ARTICLE 19

article19.org

La Quadrature du Net

laquadrature.net

April

april.org

The Digital Rights Foundation

digitalrightsfoundation.pk

Techlore

techlore.tech

Proton AG

proton.me

OpenMedia

openmedia.org

The Calyx Institute

calyx.org

Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL)

ansol.org

The Free Software Foundation (FSF)

fsf.org

/e/ Foundation

e.foundation

CryptPad

cryptpad.org

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)

beuc.eu

KDE e.V.

kde.org

FUTO

futo.org

LineageOS

lineageos.org

Software Liberty Association of Taiwan

slat.org.tw

Forbrukerrådet

forbrukerradet.no

The Guardian Project

guardianproject.info

Molly

molly.im

UnifiedPush

unifiedpush.org

FOSDEM

fosdem.org

Vivaldi Technologies AS

vivaldi.com

Digitale Gesellschaft

digitale-gesellschaft.ch

IzzyOnDroid

izzyondroid.org

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)

eff.org

GrapheneOS Foundation

grapheneos.org

Software Freedom Conservancy

sfconservancy.org

The Tor Project

torproject.org

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE)

fsfe.org

GNOME Foundation

gnome.org

Rocky Linux

rockylinux.org

Fundación Karisma

karisma.org.co

Rossmann Group

rossmanngroup.com

VideoLAN

videolan.org

Digital Rights Watch

digitalrightswatch.org.au

Nextcloud

nextcloud.com

F-Droid

f-droid.org

The App Fair Project

appfair.org

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

edri.org

Ghostery

ghostery.com

Read the full open letter and thank the signatories →

Press and coverage

What they're saying

Tech press

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

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

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

"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

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

"Google's Attack on Sideloading Will Rob Android of One of Its Best Features" How-To Geek

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

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

"Keep Android Open" Linux Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

"Google Clamps down On Android's Openness" Internet Freedom Foundation (India)

"Google will make you wait 24 hours to sideload Android apps" How-To Geek

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

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

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

"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

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

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

"An 'existential' threat to alternative app stores" The New Stack

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

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

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

"Google's Android developer verification program draws pushback" InfoWorld

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

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

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

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

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

Editorials & analysis

"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

"The proposed Android Developer Verification program isn't a security update; it's a kill switch for the open ecosystem." Hillary Keverenge, Tech-ish Kenya

"Google has not removed Android's openness, but it is turning openness from a default right into a conditional, attributable, and tiered capability." MerchMindAI

"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

"Android wasn't supposed to be 'safe.' It was supposed to be free." fireborn, mataroa.blog

"Destroying F-Droid isn't some 'oops.' It's the mission. It's Google finally cutting the last remaining escape route and locking every single user inside their store." fireborn, mataroa.blog

"What student is going to upload their passport to a trillion-dollar surveillance corporation just to share their weekend project?" fireborn, mataroa.blog

"This is not a developer account sign-up. This is comprehensive surveillance of the software development ecosystem." PixelUnion

"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

"Android is no longer the scrappy rebel. It's just another empire tightening the drawbridge." Newsfangled

"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

"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

"Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants." Mikhail Korotaev, Nextcloud Blog

"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

"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

"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

"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

"This is a form of malicious compliance with the court orders stemming from its losses to Epic Games." Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic

"Android does not just warn anymore. It enforces." Youssef Mabrouk, Ostorlab

"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's move is not credibly about 'security,' but actually about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem." Techdirt

"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

"One US corporation is placing itself between every Android developer and every Android user on earth." PixelUnion

"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

"The requirement extends Google's gatekeeping authority from its own Play Store to every alternative distribution channel on Android." LLM Advocates

"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

"Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in large established players." 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

"This could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on certified Android devices." It's FOSS News

"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

"Freedom of choice is being reframed as a 'security risk.'" Newsfangled

"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

"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

Organizations & open letters

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

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

"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

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

"This 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

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

"Developers who build privacy-first browsers, encrypted messaging apps, VPNs, Tor-based software or tools for journalists and activists would be required to upload government ID to Google. These developers are unlikely to trust Google and might stop developing for Android." Brave

"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

"This invasion of privacy of developers is not just an overreach of Google's authority over Android, but also jeopardizes developer safety." Software Freedom Conservancy

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

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

"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

"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

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

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

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

"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

"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

"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

"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'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

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

"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

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

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

"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

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

"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

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

YouTubers & creators

"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

"Every single time a company takes away your ability to do what you want with what you bought and paid for, every single time they twist a knife, we have to point it out." Louis Rossmann – YouTube

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

"Android has become what they set out to destroy." Linus Sebastian, LMG Clips – YouTube

"When you download applications, you've simply installed an application. I don't want to use words like 'sideload.'" SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

"This is an iPhone now. I didn't want to buy an iPhone. I use Android because it gives me freedom. If you are not going to give me freedom with my computer, then why would I buy your stuff anymore?" Louis Rossmann – YouTube

"Google is 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

"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

"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 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 isn't testing this in the US or Europe first. They're starting in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Why? Because these are massive growth markets where regulation is weaker. By the time regulators catch up, the damage will already be done." ChiefGyk3D – YouTube

"Google is removing the one key advantage Android has over iOS." SomeOrdinaryGamers (Mutahar) – YouTube

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

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

"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

"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

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

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

"The 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

"That's not openness. That is control." ChiefGyk3D – 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

"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 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

"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

Developers & community

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

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

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

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

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

"It took them 17 years to finally pull the cage all the way shut." Apocryphon, Hacker News

"Making it harder makes it harder to treat ourselves. Software like AndroidAPS is unique. It's hard to find or very expensive and inferior in the proprietary market." pimeys (diabetic user on life-critical medical software), Lobsters

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

"Google wants the authority of a gatekeeper without the overhead of human accountability." afferi300rina, 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

"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

"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

"They're boiling the frog -- slowly removing features until all choice is gone." hn92726819, Hacker News

"All the banking and payment apps in India refuse to open if you have developer mode on." nibbleyou (developer in India), Hacker News

"If 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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"Android is for everyone, provided they submit to Google exclusively." gumby271, Hacker News

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

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

"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

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

"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

"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 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

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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

"'Sideload' is like 'jaywalking'; seeks to stigmatize humans being human." tejtm, Hacker News

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

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

"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

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

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

"Give me liberty or give me Symbian." masterofn001, 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

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

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

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

"The open Android I knew and loved is long gone." girvo, Hacker News

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

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

"Don't beg. Don't get in a position that freedoms depend on the whims of a corporation or willingness of a government to regulate them. Build." jzb, Lobsters

Voices from the petition

"Removing the feature that set android apart, the very feature that drove countless users to choose Android, is not something we will sit idly by and accept. These are our devices. We own them. Not the corporations. They do not get to tell us how we can and can't use our devices. You are not protecting us. You are attempting to control us, to build a monopoly and line your pockets more than you already have. " Jorja, change.org

"Google is pushing for literally the antithesis of what android alaways promised to be and actually was. This is extremely concerning, it involves and affects ALL people, not just devs. If Google don't back down and the lock down actually happens, who knows how much would it take for them to also start deciding which apps you're ALLOWED to install on YOUR phone. This is the beginning of the path to total user control. WE HAVE TO ACT NOW. " Raymundo Iván, change.org

"Many of the apps I use daily are FOSS. I would lose a very large portion of the functionality of my phone without them. Some have alternatives available in the Play Store, and some do not. Even for the ones that do have available alternatives, they are measurably worse - crowded with advertisements that make them unusable until you pay (usually a subscription) for the "Pro" version. Then, when the developer stops making enough money, the app breaks and/or disappears from the store. Many of the FOSS apps I use also do exactly what I need, where their alternatives require workarounds or focus on some additional "feature" that I couldn't care less about. There are also several apps that I acquired outside the Play Store that legitimately don't have alternatives, either because they have to violate the rules of the Play Store to function properly, or because the developer believes, as I do, that good software doesn't rely on the existence of a market to function. " Zachery, change.org

"The change to requiring app verification through a wireless, centralized service, instead of a feature of the OS, is a change that is inconvenient at best, and threatens the portable device market as it currently stands at worst. By making this change, Google is further revoking the customization and autonomy (or what is left of it on most carrier phones) that not only drives many users to get Android in the first place, but is a reminder of what makes computers so wonderful, in my opinion; the ability for every one to customize, and hack their own device to be perfectly their own. This wonderful thing is a basic function of any "free" computing platform that should not be revoked, but increasingly, it has. Please, Google, do not take this direction, and shut off the venue of customization that allows people to use their devices the way they want to, and has lit the torch for many future software developers and computer scientists. " Zacario, change.org

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

"As a regular user of APKs, I think this system is so much important for us, bc we need this. GOOGLE DON'T BAN APK " Alison, change.org

"We want a free and open Android, or we'll choose a better platform. Android without free and anonymous apk's installation capabilities it's not Android anymore " Peoplewant, change.org

"Big tech is trying to collectively normalize mass surveillance requiring government ID's for everything and saying "it's for our safety". It is NOT about anyone's safety. " Amélie, change.org

"Once the promise of running open software on Android is broken I ll simply toss the device into the bin and never look back. " David, change.org

"We will not let Google apply the closed ecosystem to apks. I just want an open system and freedom of apks on Android. An open ecosystem for us to download apks whenever we want. I want Google to get screwed and there will be a rain of lawsuits against this greedy monopoly company called "Google"😠🤬🗡🛡 " rhyansamuel, change.org

"To quote Louis Rossmann: "A phone is essentially a computer, and you should have the autonomy to install whatever programs you want in your computer." (or something like that) Still, we can't deny that this is Google being petty for a multitude of reasons *cough* YouTube ADS *cough* and hopping aboard the "hand over your [government issued ID]" train in their own way. And apparently, they're going after our hardware with this one, since they just realized they can't prevent users from fiddling with software server-side. Again, there are plenty of privacy-invading and data-harvesting apps on the Play Store itself, but the data also goes to Google, so they're buddy-buddy on that. Anyway, you probably already know the rest of the script at this point. Now, onto my personal experience, I love the fact that I can install so many quality and useful open source apps made by developers who, (I'm probably underestimating here) sometimes, made those apps out of a personal need. Third party GApps front-ends, more tools than I can count, NewPipe forks, gallery apps that won't harvest data in the background — all of those, open source, with no trackers and no free data for Google, which is another reason why they're doing this. " some dude, 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

"The main advantage Android had over Apple was it's openness to alternative software other than the Play store. Take that away, and you just have a better battery. " Zac, change.org

"The main reason I've used Android over the years was the freedom to use it how I want including installing apps that are not on the app store. If this change goes through, I will start exploring options to move away from Android. " Daniel, change.org

"Aaaaaaaaae " Sharon, change.org

"Personal freedom and technology literacy are two things that allowed me to become so interested in technology in the first place around 4 years ago, and neither of those things are possible without the ability to realize what your phone is doing when installing an app, as well as the ability to look at the code of an open-source app to see how it works. It is allegedly about security, but that is a very insignificant byproduct compared to the real reason you were compelled to introduce this change that applies retroactively, server-side, and to everyone with no manual override, and you have abandoned all pretense of even saying "we're just checking for malware in more places". You aren't even lying to us anymore! You already scan all apps for malware and force all users to go through a series of checkboxes to be able to install apps from alternate sources, which is more than enough guardrails for the hypothetical person you want to protect, who is so smart to not just download but install an APK, but so dumb they install malware and don't realize. For what? So 99% of people will notice nothing different about their device while 1% of people will lose everything that they care about? No, it's not about that. You know that you are turning a perfectly guarded town into a police state. There might be less unpunished crime by the citizens, but that comes at the cost of more state-sanctioned crime from power-tripping assholes wanting to do the king's bidding. But we are waking up to this fact. And even besides these dictatorial changes made due to unregulated business practices, these people in power wanting you to censor their opponents will soon be kicked out, and you will face accountability for these actions you have taken to support the worst of the worst when you had the power to do the opposite. Reverse this proposition, and we'll turn the crosshairs to someone else for now. Actively fight against the enshitification of technology itself, either by example or encouragement, and we will welcome you, because our side is correct and improves the human condition, so it will win. " Cameron, change.org

"WE WANT CHOICES! " Cindy, change.org

"Hasn't Google monopolized enough? Let us have a right to our data, identity security, and development. " Taylor, change.org

"I had to begrudgingly install google on my phone recently, and it's so difficult to get it off. I'm probably going to install graphene on the phone in the near future, so I don't have to consent to everything and get tracked constantly. " Hank, 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

"Why would anyone use an Android period outside of being able to install applications not “approved” by some walled-garden. Side loading is a dumb term " Stephen, change.org

"we need to choice. stop google " Dhlox, change.org

"Side loading is my main reason to use Android. It's the only way I can watch YouTube on the Kindle " Max, change.org

"The Only reason I have an Android cell phone is because I can install Linux to it Take away my ability to use My cell the way I want then there is no longer any reason for me to own any cell phone This type of Dictatorship and greed for money and it power needs to stop I install LineageOS to my cell to stop the constant nag from Google to push this button pop ups. And to try to curb all the spyware I use No social apps, "I hate social spyware" My cell phone is a "Phone" Google has proven to me my dislike for all things Google was correct I will be looking online for a True Open Source Hardware / Software cell phone cost last time I checked was approx $2,000.00 USD " chris, change.org

"For the freedom of an open and universal system for all! " Zaphyru's, change.org

"Please don't limit the choice of those users who are either more technically inclined or simply need to use an app that isn't available on a store or signed by a registered developer. This is the kind of thing that really makes me sad. The flexibility of Android is gradually getting chipped away. First you take steps to make it incredibly difficult to have a usable experience on a rooted device via Play Integrity Services, and now you're going to take away our choice to sideload on devices that are supposedly "secure" as well? This is so anti-consumer and so against the spirit of freedom that Android afforded for those who didn't want to be locked in that I just can't find any way to justify it. How can you? " Dustin, change.org

"If Android no longer allows me to install what I want, how I want, there is no reason for me to not use Apple products. Your company is already going down the wrong path in so many ways with not properly supporting third-party open source Android variants; do not let this be the final nail in your OS's coffin. " Peter, change.org

"I use android because it is an open platform. If this goes through, developers will stop making apps so I might as well move to apple. " John, change.org

"I dropped iOS and moved to Android when I learned the importance of freedom. If Google makes this movement I don't see what sense makes that change anymore. " Josh, change.org

"Many apps i use are from alternative stores because they are libre and free. I won't be able to use my phone " Alexandre, change.org

"Google is heading down a dangerous path by trying to block or restrict APK installations from unofficial sources. This is a direct attack on one of the core reasons people chose Android in the first place: freedom. Android was supposed to be the alternative to locked-down ecosystems, not a copy of them. Let’s be honest about what this looks like. This is the same model used by Apple Inc. with iOS, where users are forced into a single app store, developers are squeezed by high fees, and anything outside that system is treated as suspicious or outright blocked. Android was never supposed to be that. Copying the worst parts of iOS defeats the entire purpose of Android existing at all. Sideloading APKs is not some fringe feature for hackers. It is essential for developers, for users in regions with limited access to official stores, and for anyone who values control over their own device. Taking that away is not about safety, it is about control. It is about deciding what users are allowed to install and where developers are allowed to distribute their work. Yes, security matters. But using “security” as an excuse to lock down the platform is lazy and dishonest. Users can handle informed choices. Warnings, permissions, and transparency already exist. Removing freedom entirely is not protection, it is restriction. If Google continues down this road, Android will lose what made it different and valuable. At that point, it becomes just another closed system pretending to be open. And if users are going to be treated like they have no control over their own devices, then there is no real difference left. People are not asking for less security. They are demanding the right to choose. And that right should not be taken away. " Keep, change.org

"I will stop using Android if that actually happens and goes through, because what's the point then? " Cederick, change.org

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

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

"Gghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh " Pablo, change.org

"As an android user I love the way I want to use my phone and which app to install. Apps that are being developed my developers that are not on the play store tends to be even better than those on the play store. The freedom which developers have to develop and distribution of apps has changed on how we use the android devices, giving us more option and great experience with the device. " Josphat, change.org

"Privacy is a human right (just like the man who developed Telegram). It's a necessity too. Android is the ultimate choice because if I recall, 85% of all mobile phone sales worldwide are Android. The ability to customize at will much like a person buying a Nissan Skyline GT-R 34 has as much right as they want to modify their vehicle to their specific needs like more HP! 2000 HP sounds sexy! The same can be said about people with Android phones. Sure, not all people are into customizing but if you buy, it's yours. No excuses from greedy corporate stooges. I love the beauty of side loading 3rd party apps because of the Freedom that it comes with. Android is the choice for hackers too! Linux based kernel under the hood. If Google released the Android platform, imagine how better it would be. It's like George Hotz (who hacked the 1st iPhone) once said "Open source is the best source! Everyone profits from it". " The people should not be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of their own people " - V from V for Vendetta. I don't remember who said "Give me liberty or give me death!". Developers should band together and be steadfast for there is strength in numbers. Even those who aren't developers! " Juan, change.org

"As a long-time Android user and small-scale app developer, I'm deeply concerned about the recent moves to restrict app sideloading. Choice has always been the core strength of Android—it's what set it apart as an open operating system. Forcing users to become "approved developers" just to build and install personal apps is impractical and unnecessary; I simply don't have the time or interest in jumping through those hoops. This shift feels like the start of broader censorship and monopolization, transforming Android into little more than a reskinned version of iOS. We chose Android for its freedom, not for anti-consumer restrictions that claim to "protect" us but really just limit our options. Existing tools like Knox and Play Integrity are already intrusive enough—now even downloading from trusted alternatives like F-Droid or other third-party stores might face scrutiny? This erodes the open spirit that defined Android from the beginning. Users deserve the right to create, modify, and install apps without sacrificing anonymity or control. It's our responsibility to educate ourselves on risks, not for big tech like Google (or GAFAM) to dictate terms. Android's appeal has always been its flexibility: I've sideloaded niche apps from lone developers for unique tasks, like custom music players and compass tools from F-Droid. I've even installed modded versions of stock apps, such as a camera tweak that added Google Pixel's Photosphere to my device—something impossible without sideloading. There's no need for Android to head in this restrictive direction; it risks becoming a "mock iOS," stripping away the very reasons people like me chose it. Let's restore customization, user freedom, and innovation to the heart of Android. Please, reconsider this path—it's not protection; it's control. " Mike, change.org

"Google and all of the human tech industry companies are trying to squeeze the freedom and very life from all of the people globally. Enough is enough. " Justin, change.org

"Apk's are the best part of Google so � " Nick, change.org

"Hope all Android devices keep free on apk sideload and Bootloader unlock " Hanzhang, change.org

"We should not be forced into using Google products. Our society doesn't function without choice and competition " erik, change.org

"The entire reason I used to use Android was because of how open it was. I used to be a staunch supporter of Android and even encouraged others to give it a shot. By restricting third-party app installations, it will be similar to iOS, but without any of it's closed environment benefits. Furthermore, this may further encourage users to explore other OS's such as LineageOS or GrapheneOS, rendering any supposed benefits moot. I am personally looking to switch my Android OS to GrapheneOS once this update becomes live. Android was always the best choice in freedom and ownership. This will be a serious mistake on Google's part, similar to Microsoft forcing Copilot on users. " Areeb, change.org

"As an Android developer, I care deeply about security and privacy, and I also care about user choice. Restricting APK usage and sideloading does not “fix” security. It centralizes control and limits legitimate use cases like testing builds, F-Droid, enterprise/internal apps, and accessibility tools. Android should protect users with strong warnings, permissions, and verification, not by making alternative distribution harder. If this is forced, I’ll move to something like GrapheneOS, and I’m saying that as a Pixel daily driver. " Sean, change.org

"I use a lot of free and open source software on my android phone, especially from F-Droid, often because it uses more limited permissions than the Play Store equivalent and because I prefer to customise my phone. Now this freedom is going to be rendered unuseable?! Imposing fees on developers and requiring them to become authorised developers feels authoritarian and restrictive. Leave us the ability to side load apps please! " Tom, change.org

"Its important to have side stores that protect privacy and not let everything enshitify. " Augusto, change.org

"To move forward with the developer verification process is both anticompetitive and counter intuitive. Google stands to lose it's only incentive to attract users and developers. To build from a foundation of open source/free software to this is simple greed. Without such foundations Android wouldn't exist today, nor would modern technology. This process will simply hurt consumers, developers, and Google as a company. It will bring forth a new competitor who cares about digital freedom and open source software. Please reconsider. Don't be evil. " Davy, change.org

"this will only benefit google and authoritarian governments " Antônio, change.org

"How can this be about security when the vast majority of people installing 3rd party apps are accepting that risk. Your anti virus services should be more than enough to prevent malicious applications but babying a population won't go well for you. I for one will get a huawei phone immediately after the change is officialized, privacy be damned, it's less authoritarian than what you're planning on doing. " D, change.org

"Keep android open! " Giuseppe, 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

"Keep Android like it started, open and free for anyone! " Edgar, change.org

"It really seems like part of a conspiracy to turn the entire digital world into a tool for psychological and mass control. Let's raise our voices together against this immense idiocy, most likely promoted primarily by governments and not directly by Google. 👁️📐👌⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤️ " Alessio, change.org

"The device that you bought that you own should not have any restrictions added after the purchase of what you can or cannot download onto said device. What (Google) is trying to do is going directly against that. " Emilie, change.org

"Google, side loading is one of the few things that made android unique. Bring it back. " Grayson, change.org

"While, I'm not an average user of an Android device, I completely understand the need for programs to be open source and to have the freedom to do whatever you would like with the device that's been bought by you. So to see Google attempt to censor a beloved part of Android for many users? I find myself quite outraged! It's not exactly protection if everyone's data is at risk of being leaked next week, and it would be all thanks to these planned restrictions! " Marielle, change.org

"As an evil, evil man, I despise google because they are worse. Thus, I of then times look at this website and sign all the petitions against google. Amen brother man " David, change.org

"Welp if APK files limited then there is no need for us to use android from now on. " Emir, change.org

"This is a tragedy, it won't stop bad intentions, it will only put our data at risk, and many apps will become lost media. " Jessé, change.org

"Google already has too much to say on which apps one is allowed to run on their phone. Play Integrity already ruins the Android experience for most custom ROM users and now they're going for side loading, too. This has to stop. " Alexander, change.org

"Protect Android FREEDOM... I’ve used Android for years because it stood for freedom and choice. But lately Google has been making it harder to install APK files apps that come from outside the Play Store. That freedom to choose what I put on my own phone is what made Android different, and it’s slowly disappearing. I’m not a developer or hacker just someone who believes that the device I bought should truly belong to me. I should be able to install safe apps from any source without being blocked or discouraged. This isn’t about breaking rules it’s about keeping control over our own technology. If Google keeps tightening these restrictions Android will lose the openness that made it great. I care because user freedom matters and I don’t want to see it taken away bit by bit. " Boris, change.org

"We as a free people in the USA should never let anybody dictate what we can put into our phones or lives. If we let that happen then when is the next person going to come to take more of our rights, it's a dangerous path to take and it shouldn't happen. If you want that to happen, go to China and live there. " Loren, change.org

"I have android to be free, not to be in a digital prison. Android shouldn't be another apple. " Dominic, change.org

"The last thing differentiating Android from iOS was the freedom to be different, to be a power user, to truly own the very device you hold in your hand. Taking that away not only strips Android of its identity, it makes it just like iOS: locked down, useless, and incapable of serving the user. If you want to protect people, teach them how to protect themselves, don't be a helicopter parent to someone else's child. " Evan, change.org

"the whole point of android is it's not apple, atp I'll just put linux on my phone " a, 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

"Google, allow us to actually own our devices! " cornelius, change.org

"One of the core principals of Android has been consumer choice. Especially in the current day, it's more important than ever that the consumer can choose where to get their software from. As a developer myself, I do not want to and WILL NOT sign up for the developer verification program, as Google has no right to tell me what I can do with my device. I do not trust any company to keep me safe, and especially not when they're overreaching into the personal lives and choices of the everyday user. Even from a consumer quality of life perspective, this change is hugely detrimental. Google Play is infested with ads, bad faith apps, sponsorships, and so much more I do not want to see. Alternative storefronts give users the choice to avoid clunky, nasty pieces of software and choose what workflow is best for them. I beg, please reconsider this choice and keep consumer's rights intact. " Alexander, change.org

"There are but few remaining bastions of independance left these days. Google, You have taken the cake, the pies, the rest of the desert tray and the full feast before it and left only crumbs in your wake. Are you really about to double back to hoover those up too? Competition is a net gain in any space and promotes growth and vitality! We need places for independents to opperate and users to choose freely what resonates with them and thier own values! Kindly, leave some space! " m, change.org

"Keep android open. We want to be able to install the software we want on the device we paid for. " Knoel, change.org

"As a user, Stop it. Android is cool for openness: you close it, we'll leave " Nicolò, change.org

"Being free and open is the number one reason I use Android. If that were to go away, it would reduce its competitiveness with ios " Vivian, 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

"I'm repulsed by enshittification and the tightening grip of corporate oligarchs who bring nothing of worth to the table and therefore can only increase shareholder value by continuing to worsen their products " Nicholas, 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

"Developer verification can improve security, but requiring centralized registration for all apps on certified devices risks creating new barriers to competition and innovation. Security shouldn’t come at the cost of openness and choice. " Caleb, change.org

"We people should have a choice in what we download. There are real, legit developers out there that google is trying to push out. This isn't for your safety, google wants to choose for you what you're allowed to download. Google doesn't care what is safe for you, they want to silence and push out developers they don't like. " UsagiMomo/SquishyCat/MayNayeo, change.org

"Android is Linux. Linux is free! " Arthur, change.org

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

"I didn't think I could dislike Google any less than I do already for their anti freedom posture, but, yeah they've fallen even further. Google is the enemy of freedom no matter where you live. " Daniel, change.org

"Choice and modification is the root of the Android platform. I should be able to install software I want on my own phone. If Android becomes a walled garden, then there will be no real reason to buy an Android, and I'll buy an Apple. " Bailey, change.org

"Vamos parar essa empresa mercenárias " Euler, change.org

"If Android becomes closed like iOS there's no reason to keep using it. " Emanuel Victor, change.org

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

"This is the entire point of many people using Android in the first place, you take this away and something new will come along and replace you. " Jacob, change.org

"The continual tightening of the corporate hand around the throat of Android is pivotal to oppose. Android and other Linux-based operating systems are currently and will continue to be the front lines of the eternal battle for user freedom, privacy, and safety worldwide. " Aaron, change.org

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

"As an Android user in Australia, I'm deeply concerned about what this policy means for consumers worldwide. When I purchased my Android device, I chose it because of its openness and freedom. Google is now unilaterally revoking that promise with a forced update — without consent, without recourse, and without accountability. This isn't just a developer issue. It affects every person who believes they should have the right to control their own device. I've already contacted the ACCC and my local MP, and I urge others to do the same. We cannot let a single corporation decide what software we are permitted to trust. " Kaito, change.org

"You are now a 0. " İbrahim, change.org

"Motivations drive actions. Any sincere reason to change other than power or greed? The app system works extremely well 'as is' so why should any group want this to change? Can only see harder times ahead for all - your kids for certain - if Google is allowed to do 'ruin, injury, pain, or harm': the definition of evil. Right now, the environment is lush for all - particularly Google - if all remains open. There is no good reason change. Motivations drive actions. " D., change.org

"IT'S ABSURD WHAT GOOGLE IS TRYING TO DO ON ANDROID, ANDROID USERS AND ANDROID DEVICES ABOUT LOCKING THE SYSTEM SO WE CAN'T INSTALL APPS DOWNLOADED FROM WEBSITES AND DOWNLOADED FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE. GOOGLE DOES NOT OWN OUR DEVICES AND WE HAVE THE FULL RIGHT TO DO WHAT WE WANT WITH OUR DEVICES BECAUSE WE PAY FOR THEM. " Wagner, change.org

"If google does go through with this I will do everything in my power to convince anyone with an android or google service to stop using it. " James, change.org

"It's just because I like piracy and I was born into piracy. " Simp, change.org

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

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

"I don't think that we should be filtered into buying something we do not want. Something as simply as a weather app should be free, news should be free, but the services that's being offered in app stores as free is usually filled with ads that leak personal information. " Andre, change.org

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

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

"Google is going to ruin what they built and turn into Apple. " Abnormal Software, change.org

"The ability of sideloading software is the biggest advantage android has over orther systems. I sideload a lot of apps and losing that ability means i have no reason to stay with android. Yes, apps from outside the play store do have more malware, but i can just not download them if i am afraid of getting hacked, this is not protecting anyone and is just removing freedom for users. Also, the ID verification google wants from the developers is a massive privacy and safety risk. " miglin, change.org

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Closing

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.

Share this page. Don't sign up. Don't let them close Android.