'Keep Android Open' Campaign Pushes Back On Google's Sideloading Restrictions (pcmag.com)
- Reference: 0179918378
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/10/30/2225257/keep-android-open-campaign-pushes-back-on-googles-sideloading-restrictions
- Source link: https://www.pcmag.com/news/keep-android-open-campaign-pushes-back-on-googles-sideloading-restrictions
> A "Keep Android Open" campaign is [1]pushing back on new rules from Google that will [2]reportedly block users from sideloading apps on Android phones. It's unclear who's running the campaign, but a [3]blog post on the free Android app store F-Droid is directing users to visit the campaign's [4]website , which urges the public to lobby government regulators to intervene and stop the upcoming restrictions. "Developers should have the right to create and distribute software without submitting to unnecessary corporate surveillance," reads an open letter posted to the site. [...]
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> Google has described the upcoming change as akin to requiring app developers to go through "an ID check at the airport." However, F-Droid condemned the new requirement as anti-consumer choice. "If you own a computer, you should have the right to run whatever programs you want on it," it says. Additionally, the rules threaten third-party app distribution on F-Droid, which operates as a "free/open-source app distribution" model.
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> In its blog post, F-Droid warns about the impact on users and Android app developers. "You, the creator, can no longer develop an app and share it directly with your friends, family, and community without first seeking Google's approval," the app store says. "Over half of all humankind uses an Android smartphone," the blog post adds. "Google does not own your phone. You own your phone. You have the right to decide who to trust, and where you can get your software from."
[1] https://www.pcmag.com/news/keep-android-open-campaign-pushes-back-on-googles-sideloading-restrictions
[2] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/08/25/1716213/google-to-require-identity-verification-for-all-android-app-developers-by-2027
[3] https://f-droid.org/2025/10/28/sideloading.html
[4] https://keepandroidopen.org/
The problem here (Score:3)
The problem is that, 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, and will be good enough to let you use it. They will also be good enough to let you to keep data on said computer as they see fit. The process already is quite advanced in some cases.
Re: The problem here (Score:2)
Totally right. Alternatives are diminishing and I sense people don't trust open source. They give a side eye like it's for poor people... like that's hard, iPhone that's easy. And I'm told it's the best. Then they complain about forced updates.
Re: (Score:2)
A lot of people these days don't "switch" because they don't see the juice as being worth the squeeze.
They also don't particularly care what the label says, they just want something that works for them, and that's whatever they've been using for the last bazillion years. People are inherently lazy, and many of them are not motivated by the relatively few dollars they can save or overspend by switching.
Personally, I'm old and far enough along that I'm not gonna "switch" even if offered free equipment. I jus
If you want open Android (Score:3)
You need government regulation. By those filthy scary bureaucrats which are basically White collar cops.
If you can't get over a lifetime of propaganda telling you government is the problem and not the solution then you don't get to have open Android or anything else. If you are very lucky you will get to die before they take your house. That is the best you can hope for when you try to go it alone against literal multi-billionaires bordering on trillionaires.
I never understand what makes a man think that he can compete with a trillionaire or that he can keep that trillionaire from getting his trillion dollars with anything else but the full support of his neighbors.
Then again I never much liked right wing propaganda so and I didn't really feel the need to look down on anyone to deal with my situation...
I get people don't like being watched, but ... (Score:2)
The complaints from open source about this policy are a little puzzling. The problem is right in the name: open source development is generally done in the open, and with attribution. Debian for example has a fairly strong copyright policy. They insist on knowing who has the copyright to every line of code, and what that copyright is. Anyone who contributes code to a project on github leaves an audit trail that's hard to deny. The Linux kernel is even stronger - effectively requires cropographically si
Re: (Score:2)
Exactly this, knowing where the code came from to avoid copyright violations or malicious code. The vast majority of people should only ever be running code from verified reputable sources.
Re: (Score:2)
It's the money son. OSS doesn't charge 30% as a publishing fee to developers. Apple does, and Google wants to mimic Apple to boost their profits.
Yeah, you might give up your personal info to an OSS project. But unless it's something with a large legal risk, (Wine for example), you can typically get away with contributing under a pseudonym. No-one's really going to care that buttface24069 made fart app #1342304433. Where the care comes into play is if that fart app suddenly starts stealing passwords and mi
F-Droid's claim isn't quite accurate (Score:3)
From the summary:
> In its blog post, F-Droid warns about the impact on users and Android app developers. "You, the creator, can no longer develop an app and share it directly with your friends, family, and community without first seeking Google's approval,"
You can still develop an app and share it directly with whoever you want without registering, you just have to convince them to use ADB to install it, rather than clicking a link on a web site or downloading from an app store (like F-Droid). This adds a lot of friction and requires your potential users to trust you quite a bit more, because it feels like they're taking a bigger risk, even though there isn't any actual difference in risk. I expect that we'll start to see apps packaged with ADB for a "single-click install" from a Windows machine, to reduce the friction as far as possible. Users would still have to do the dance to enable developer options, enable USB, then tap "accept" on the ADB key popup, though an installer could (and probably will) walk them though that.
Also, although I don't think details are available yet, Google says there will be an option for "limited distribution accounts" which don't require any fee or ID verification, but can only distribute their apps to a limited number of devices. For people who just want to share with friends and family, this should cover them.
Re: (Score:2)
Stop spreading FUD. This verification requirement affects ADB installs too. Just like how Google's Play Store now scans even adb installs for PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Apps).
FYI: This system would be worthless if it didn't scan ADB installed apps, because the whole point is to mandate Google's approval for app installs. If there was a wide open backdoor, no-one would sign up with Google's mandatory tracking service. Let alone pay them. (Which is what Google really wants. They stare at Apple's 30% cut of
Re: (Score:2)
> Stop spreading FUD. This verification requirement affects ADB installs too
From Google's [1]FAQ [android.com]
> Will Android Debug Bridge (ADB) install work without registration? As a developer, you are free to install apps without verification with ADB. This is designed to support developers' need to develop, test apps that are not intended or not yet ready to distribute to the wider consumer population.
Obviously, ADB can't distinguish the cases of (a) an app developer who just wrote an app using ADB to install an APK on their device for testing and (b) any random person using ADB to install an AP
[1] https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/faq
Good! Android needs to be OPEN (Score:2)
When Android came along, I thought good! I can set up my smartphone how I WANT, not how "Apple" wants. I can add, remove apps, set up things how I WANT. If I want to side load an app, that's on me, not Google. An option they should do, is ALLOW side loading, only by unlocking a feature in developer mode as most users don't use and don't even know how to get to developer mode options. Yeah, they "say" you will still be able to side load using ADB, but that requires connecting the phone to your computer. Goo
Re: (Score:2)
A lot of people chose Apple because of what it allows or doesn't allow.
That sure doesn't seem to be a persuasive argument against the haters though.
Re: (Score:2)
> Most people choose apple devices as a status symbol.
I realize that us a deeply-held view amongst Android people.
However, I've never heard an adult who uses Apple equipment claim it as such.
Ironically, I have observed Android users proudly cite their status as an Android user.
Personally, I don't give two shits what people use, outside of any benefit to me.