By 2026, Google wanted to introduce a developer verification program, forcing any developer of Android apps to submit their government ID and to pay a fee for distributing apps outside the Play Store, preventing the installation of any non-verified app on certified Android devices (basically any Android system that ships Google Play Services from the factory). They say it’s for your safety against malware, but they actually want to control what you can or cannot install on your own device, discouraging developers that don’t want to publish their apps on the Play Store, as the vast majority of Android users are running certified devices and wouldn’t be able to install non-verified apps. It would also put an end to third-party app stores such as F-Droid and Accrescent.

Thankfully, they decided to back down on requiring ID verification, but we need to stay vigilant for any new move that Google might make with this initiative and beyond. In any case switching to a degoogled Android system or a mobile Linux system are your best options to ensure long term freedom from Google. If you’re italian, I have a few videos on degoogling and on how to install GrapheneOS, a secure and private Android fork for Google Pixel devices (and more coming soon).

By the way, here’s a list of the most notable Google misdeeds that they’ve done over the years.