Open source and digital-rights organisations urge Google to scrap a new Android developer registration rule, warning it could restrict sideloading, centralise control, and weaken software freedom.
Google will mandate developer verification for all Android apps, including those distributed outside Google Play, triggering strong opposition from the open-source community.
From September 2026, Android devices in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand will install only apps from registered and verified developers. The requirement applies to all certified devices, not just Play Store software, with a global rollout planned from 2027 onward.
An open letter dated February 24, 2026 asks Google to reverse the move and commit to platform neutrality. Signatories include Free Software Foundation Europe, F-Droid, Proton AG, Nextcloud, and The Tor Project, alongside dozens of digital-rights and FOSS groups.
They argue the policy extends Google’s authority beyond its marketplace into independent distribution channels, potentially enabling the company to disable apps ecosystem-wide. Mandatory registration could also raise barriers for small teams, open-source developers, researchers and activists, while creating a centralised database of developers that heightens surveillance and antitrust risks.
Critics add that existing protections, including permissions, signing certificates and Google Play Protect, already address security.
Ajay Kumar, Partner at Triumvir Law, said, “On a core level, Google is extraordinarily open source”.
Sai Rahul Poruri, CEO of FOSS United, noted, “It is built on top of AOSP and relies on closed-source customisations and closed-source Google services,” adding, “AOSP-derived custom Android distributions like LineageOS, CalyxOS do not impose restrictions of identification”.
Mishi Choudhary, Founder of the Software Freedom Law Center, said, “A system that warns users about unwanted apps is acceptable, but removing user freedom will drive people away from this closed ecosystem,” pointing to alternatives such as GrapheneOS.
