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| 1 | +<h1 id="keep-android-open">Keep Android Open</h1> |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +<p>In August 2025, Google announced that starting next year, |
| 4 | +it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform |
| 5 | +without first registering centrally with Google. This registration will involve:</p> |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +<ul> |
| 8 | + <li>Paying a fee to Google</li> |
| 9 | + <li>Agreeing to their terms and conditions</li> |
| 10 | + <li>Providing government identification for the developer</li> |
| 11 | + <li>Uploading evidence of an app’s private signing key</li> |
| 12 | + <li>Listing all current and future application identifiers</li> |
| 13 | +</ul> |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +<p>Some actions you can take to help support the opposition to |
| 16 | +the enactment of this policy are:</p> |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +<h2 id="european-union">European Union</h2> |
| 19 | +<ul> |
| 20 | + <li>Send feedback on EU Digital Fairness Act: <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14622-Digital-Fairness-Act_en">EU Digital Fairness Act: Have Your Say</a></li> |
| 21 | +</ul> |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +<h2 id="united-states">United States</h2> |
| 24 | +<ul> |
| 25 | + <li>Make a report to to <a href="https://www.justice.gov/atr/webform/submit-your-antitrust-report-online">US Department of Justice Antitrust Report Online</a> and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/antitrust-complaint-intake">US Federal Trade Commission: Antitrust Complaint</a></li> |
| 26 | +</ul> |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +<h2 id="united-kingdom">United Kingdom</h2> |
| 29 | +<ul> |
| 30 | + <li>Make a report to the <a href="https://danb.me/blog/google-developer-verification-cma/">UK Competition & Markets Authority</a> and <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/744446/sponsors/new">petition the UK Parliament</a></li> |
| 31 | +</ul> |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +<h2 id="brazil">Brazil</h2> |
| 34 | +<ul> |
| 35 | + <li>Reach out to Brazil’s <a href="https://www.procon.sp.gov.br/">Procon</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.br/mj/pt-br/assuntos/seus-direitos/consumidor">Senacon</a></li> |
| 36 | +</ul> |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +<h2 id="other">Other</h2> |
| 39 | +<ul> |
| 40 | + <li>Provide feedback directly to Google using their <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfN3UQeNspQsZCO2ITkdzMxv81rJDEGGjO-UIDDY28Rz_GEVA/viewform?pli=1">Android developer verification requirements survey</a>.</li> |
| 41 | + <li>Make your voice heard on social media and with blog posts.</li> |
| 42 | + <li>Help this project out by <a href="https://github.com/keepandroidopen/keepandroidopen.github.io/blob/main/index.md">editing this page</a> with more useful information.</li> |
| 43 | +</ul> |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +<h2 id="references">References</h2> |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +<h3 id="overviews">Overviews</h3> |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +<ul> |
| 50 | + <li><a href="https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Android_Developer_Verification">https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Android_Developer_Verification</a></li> |
| 51 | + <li><a href="https://f-droid.org/en/2025/09/29/google-developer-registration-decree.html">https://f-droid.org/en/2025/09/29/google-developer-registration-decree.html</a></li> |
| 52 | +</ul> |
| 53 | + |
| 54 | +<h3 id="discussions">Discussions</h3> |
| 55 | +<ul> |
| 56 | + <li><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45409794">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45409794</a></li> |
| 57 | + <li><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45507173">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45507173</a></li> |
| 58 | + <li><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45569371">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45569371</a></li> |
| 59 | + <li><a href="https://lobste.rs/s/x1sdu5/f_droid_google_s_developer_registration">https://lobste.rs/s/x1sdu5/f_droid_google_s_developer_registration</a></li> |
| 60 | +</ul> |
| 61 | + |
| 62 | +<h3 id="press-reaction">Press Reaction:</h3> |
| 63 | +<ul> |
| 64 | + <li>“Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register” — <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/">https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/</a></li> |
| 65 | + <li>“Open-Source Android Apps at Risk Under Google’s New Decree” — <a href="https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-f-droid-warns-google-developer-decree-open-source-android/">https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-f-droid-warns-google-developer-decree-open-source-android/</a></li> |
| 66 | + <li>“Google’s New Developer ID Rule Could Harm F-Droid, Says Open-Source Advocate” — <a href="https://reclaimthenet.org/googles-android-id-rule-threatens-f-droids-future">https://reclaimthenet.org/googles-android-id-rule-threatens-f-droids-future</a></li> |
| 67 | + <li>“Google’s developer registration ‘decree’ means the end for alternative app stores” — <a href="https://cybernews.com/tech/googles-developer-registration-decree-end-alternative-app-stores/">https://cybernews.com/tech/googles-developer-registration-decree-end-alternative-app-stores/</a></li> |
| 68 | + <li>“Open-Source Android Apps Threatened by Google’s New Policy” — <a href="https://www.datamation.com/open-source/android-apps-google-policy/">https://www.datamation.com/open-source/android-apps-google-policy/</a></li> |
| 69 | + <li>“Google’s new ID requirements could destroy independent app stores” — <a href="https://www.techspot.com/news/109728-google-confirms-new-android-rules-significantly-restrict-app.html">https://www.techspot.com/news/109728-google-confirms-new-android-rules-significantly-restrict-app.html</a></li> |
| 70 | + <li>“Google’s Requirement For All Android Developers To Register And Be Verified Threatens To Close Down Open Source App Store F-Droid” — <a href="https://www.techdirt.com/2025/10/07/googles-requirement-for-all-android-developers-to-register-and-be-verified-threatens-to-close-down-open-source-app-store-f-droid/">https://www.techdirt.com/2025/10/07/googles-requirement-for-all-android-developers-to-register-and-be-verified-threatens-to-close-down-open-source-app-store-f-droid/</a></li> |
| 71 | + <li>“Google’s new developer rules could threaten sideloading and F-Droid’s future” — <a href="https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/09/30/googles-new-developer-rules-could-threaten-sideloading-and-f-droids-future/">https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/09/30/googles-new-developer-rules-could-threaten-sideloading-and-f-droids-future/</a></li> |
| 72 | + <li>“Google is restricting one of Android’s most important features, and users are outraged” — <a href="https://www.slashgear.com/1962802/google-restricting-important-android-feature-reason-why-users-outraged/">https://www.slashgear.com/1962802/google-restricting-important-android-feature-reason-why-users-outraged/</a></li> |
| 73 | + <li>“Android’s sideloading limits are its most anti-consumer move yet” - <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/androids-sideloading-limits-are-anti-consumer-move-yet/">https://www.makeuseof.com/androids-sideloading-limits-are-anti-consumer-move-yet/</a></li> |
| 74 | + <li>“Google’s dev registration plan ‘will end the F-Droid project’” — <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/29/googles_dev_registration_plan_will/">https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/29/googles_dev_registration_plan_will/</a></li> |
| 75 | + <li>“F-Droid says Google’s new sideloading restrictions will kill the project” — <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/f-droid-calls-for-regulators-to-stop-googles-crackdown-on-sideloading/">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/f-droid-calls-for-regulators-to-stop-googles-crackdown-on-sideloading/</a></li> |
| 76 | + <li>“Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store” — <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/">https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/</a></li> |
| 77 | + <li>“Google will verify Android developers distributing apps outside the Play store” — <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/765881/google-android-apps-side-loading-developer-verification">https://www.theverge.com/news/765881/google-android-apps-side-loading-developer-verification</a></li> |
| 78 | + <li>“Google will require developer verification to install Android apps, including sideloading” — <a href="https://9to5google.com/2025/08/25/android-apps-developer-verification/">https://9to5google.com/2025/08/25/android-apps-developer-verification/</a></li> |
| 79 | + <li>“Android Security or Vendor Lock-In? Google’s New Sideloading Rules Smell Fishy” — <a href="https://news.itsfoss.com/new-android-sideloading-rules/">https://news.itsfoss.com/new-android-sideloading-rules/</a></li> |
| 80 | + <li>“Google plans to block side-loading like Apple, declaring war on Android freedom” — <a href="https://tuta.com/blog/android-side-load-apps-google">https://tuta.com/blog/android-side-load-apps-google</a></li> |
| 81 | +</ul> |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +<h3 id="video-responses">Video Responses:</h3> |
| 84 | +<ul> |
| 85 | + <li>“Google: ‘Your $1000 phone needs our permission to install apps now’” — Louis Rossmann — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBEKlIV_70E">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBEKlIV_70E</a></li> |
| 86 | + <li>“Google is Removing Sideloading” — LMG Clips — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R76VJtTDJ8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R76VJtTDJ8</a></li> |
| 87 | + <li>“F-Droid Will Die in 2026 Unless We Act Now — Techlore” — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRvqdLsnsKY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=wRvqdLsnsKY&feature=youtu.be</a></li> |
| 88 | + <li>“Google’s changes to sideloading could end F-Droid - Linux Weekly News” — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMqpm2Ahmt0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMqpm2Ahmt0</a></li> |
| 89 | + <li>“Is F-Droid in Trouble? Google Developer Verification” — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SOOoQWv4kk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SOOoQWv4kk</a></li> |
| 90 | +</ul> |
| 91 | + |
| 92 | +<h3 id="editorials-and-blogs">Editorials and Blogs:</h3> |
| 93 | +<p>– “Pluralistic: Darth Android” — <a href="https://pluralistic.net/2025/09/01/fulu/">https://pluralistic.net/2025/09/01/fulu/</a></p> |
| 94 | +<ul> |
| 95 | + <li>“Google is Applefying Android: The End of Openness” — ChiefGyk3D — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFOPzixHoLY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFOPzixHoLY</a></li> |
| 96 | +</ul> |
| 97 | + |
| 98 | +<h3 id="official-documentation">Official Documentation:</h3> |
| 99 | +<ul> |
| 100 | + <li>Initial announcement — <a href="https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html">https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html</a></li> |
| 101 | + <li>Android developer verification: Guides — <a href="https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/android-developer-console#complete-identity">https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/android-developer-console#complete-identity</a></li> |
| 102 | + <li>Android developer verification: Frequently asked questions — <a href="https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/faq">https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/guides/faq</a></li> |
| 103 | + <li>Introducing the Android Developer Console: A first look — <a href="https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/assets/pdfs/introducing-the-android-developer-console.pdf">https://developer.android.com/developer-verification/assets/pdfs/introducing-the-android-developer-console.pdf</a></li> |
| 104 | + <li>Download an early look of the new Android Developer Console — <a href="https://support.google.com/android-developer-console/answer/16450960">https://support.google.com/android-developer-console/answer/16450960</a></li> |
| 105 | + <li>API Documentation — <a href="https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/pm/PackageInstaller#DEVELOPER_VERIFICATION_FAILED_REASON_DEVELOPER_BLOCKED">https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/pm/PackageInstaller#DEVELOPER_VERIFICATION_FAILED_REASON_DEVELOPER_BLOCKED</a></li> |
| 106 | +</ul> |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | +<h3 id="miscellaneous">Miscellaneous:</h3> |
| 109 | +<ul> |
| 110 | + <li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1axlQkdc-wseda9PL2ZP0fgy3I4DqAVVlK5kJw4ksIwU">Opposition recommendations</a></li> |
| 111 | +</ul> |
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