- More than 40 organizations are calling on Google to change the new policy for Android developers
- They claim that Google’s “mandatory verification” prohibits anonymous development
- They warn that this policy could put those living in restrictive regimes at risk
A coalition of more than 40 privacy-focused organizations and digital rights advocates has launched a furious campaign to stop Google from fundamentally changing the way apps are released on Android.
The group, which includes industry heavyweights such as Proton, AdGuard, The Tor Project and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), has signed an open letter warning that Google’s new policies threaten the security of developers worldwide.
The dispute centers on a policy announced in August 2025 that the coalition says will effectively “lock down” the Android platform in September 2026. According to the open letter published by Keeping the Android Open campaign, Google will require all developers to register centrally with the tech giant to distribute applications, even if those apps are distributed through third-party stores or direct downloads.
For the creators of the best VPN services and privacy tools, this requirement is considered an existential threat. The letter argues that “forcibly injecting a foreign security model that runs counter to Android’s historic open nature threatens innovation, competition, privacy and user freedom.”
The end of anonymous coding?
The core of the problem lies in the specific requirements Google makes. The coalition notes that the registration process involves paying a fee, accepting Google’s terms and, most controversially, “providing government-issued identification.”
For enterprise developers, this may seem like standard procedure. But for privacy, it is a dangerous overreach. The signatories claim that mandatory registration creates a “comprehensive database of all Android developers”, raising serious concerns about how this data could be used by authoritarian regimes to target dissenters.
The letter explicitly warns that this barrier to access hurts “activists who work with Internet freedom in countries that unfairly criminalize this work” and “privacy-focused developers who avoid surveillance ecosystems.” By forcing these individuals to tie their physical identity to their code, Google effectively prohibits anonymous contributions to the Android ecosystem.
🚨 Google wants to force every Android developer to register with them, even if you never touch the Play Store. We signed the open letter opposing this along with EFF, Proton, F-Droid, Tor Project and 30+ others. Android’s openness is non-negotiable.https://t.co/vzlPdOc5Sa24 February 2026
Gatekeeping beyond the Play Store
What makes this policy particularly contentious is its scope. Historically, Android has allowed users to “sideload” apps or use alternative marketplaces (like F-Droid) without Google’s interference. The coalition claims the new policy extends Google’s “gatekeeper authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role.”
The signatories describe a future where Google has the power to disable any app, anywhere in the ecosystem, based on the “opaque whims of a distant and unaccountable company.”
While Google has framed these verification measures as necessary for platform security and user safety, the coalition argues that existing measures, such as Google Play Protect and sandboxing, are already sufficient. They claim the move is less about security and more about “anti-competitive implications,” allowing Google to gather intelligence on competitors and consolidate power.
The letter serves as a final warning before the policy takes full effect. The coalition calls on developers to “resist and refuse” the verification process and calls on Google to “immediately remove the mandatory developer registration requirement.”
If Google doesn’t reverse course, the signatories warn, “the software critical to the running of your businesses and governments” will be left at the mercy of a single company, dismantling the open principles on which Android was built.
