This post was originally published on Info World
Google’s planned Android developer verification program, requiring Android apps to be registered by verified developers, is getting pushback, with opponents urging developers not to sign up for the program and to make their opposition known.
An open letter opposing the verification program was posted February 24 at Keep Android Open, a consortium that is fighting the Google verification program. Among the 41 signatories as of February 26 are the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Free Software Foundation, the Center for Digital Progress, and the Software Freedom Conservancy. “Android, currently an open platform where anyone can develop and distribute applications freely, is to become a locked-down platform, requiring that developers everywhere register centrally with Google in order to be able to distribute their software,” said Marc Prud’hommeaux of the F-Droid Android development community in a blog post.
Google could not be reached for comment on February 26. The program was announced August 25, 2026. Starting in September, Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers before they can be installed on certified Android devices. “To better protect users from repeat bad actors spreading malware and scams, we’re adding another layer of security to make installing apps safer for
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