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 everyone: developer verification,” said Suzanne Frey, Google’s VP, Product, Trust and Growth for Android, in the blog post announcing the program. “This creates crucial accountability, making it much harder for malicious actors to quickly distribute another harmful app after we take the first one down” she said.
