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Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

f-droid.org

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Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#301

Post by hparadiz »

Avicebron wrote: post #287
birdsongs wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not Linux phones that we need. We already have alternatives, like graphene and other AOSP forks. We need corporations and governments to stop locking down and gatekeeping vital software to closed ecosystems. A Linux phone doesn't help me when my government's 2FA system (BankID) only runs on Android and IOS phones and can only be acquired with an app store account.

> We need corporations and governments to stop locking down and gatekeeping vital software to closed ecosystems. If you can't get the government to do this for you in Norway the US has very little hope currently. We need some standard of minimal digital accessibility. Too much of our lives mediated by digital interactions with capricious systems.

The irony is none of this is a problem in the US. We still have a ton of banks that you can use without a smartphone. Even my bank's app works fine on a rooted Android or GrapheneOS.

Europeans are doing this to themselves.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#302

Post by titzer »

1970-01-01 wrote: post #296

All talk, no solutions from F-droid. What are they actually doing to solve it? Why not stand up their own vetting system? I'd love some technical solutions, instead this is just childish.

By analogy, would complaining about any organization ridiculously more powerful than you (e.g. a government) without having a complete alternative ready to go also be "childish"?

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#303

Post by grosswait »

nirui wrote: post #213

Emotional talk aside, there's not many good solution to this problem, unless of course F-Droid starts to make their own phones. But then, Librem 5 Phone was just failed few years ago, telling the story that people who care about their rights are still sensitive to how much they would pay (which is a form of rights too). Also but, there is the thing, making a phone is not easy. If you reach deep enough, you'll eventua…

I was surprised to hear Librem failed, but a quick search show this is not true. Quite alive and hopefully well.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#304

Post by titzer »

cryptonym wrote: post #174
StingyJelly wrote: post #118

We finally live in an age when I can tell a clanker that I want an app that does something that I need, connect the phone with adb and in half an hour have a working solution for my tiny problem while knowing little about android development. This is something google should embrace, not kneecap.

What's their interest in you building side-loaded apps instead of using their data hungry services?

Or buying some crappy app off the app store, from which they take a cut.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#305

Post by LtWorf »

Arnt wrote: post #125
avra wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We need to resist this! I agree. What do you suggest? How can we contribute to the resistance?

This started with phishing, poor people being tricked to install apps that then drained their bank accounts. So to resist, maybe focus on that evil? Better international cooperation, better prosecution?

All scams attempt I received from "hot asian ladies" involved putting my savings in apps that are already on the google app store.

The scam apps are already in there. Please stop repeating google's propaganda.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#306

Post by givinguflac »

tempodox wrote: post #292
artisinal wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iOS can be used without an account. iPhones can be acquired outside of Apple. The EU has the alternative App Store option that doesn’t require an Apple account.

> The EU has the alternative App Store option that doesn’t require an Apple account. I cannot install any iOS software without being logged into my Apple account, not even an alternative app store. It would be perfect on my older iDevices, but they don't let me log in anymore “because the OS is too old”. And guess what: I cannot update the OS without being logged in. I never logged out of those iDevices, Apple did th…

You can update the OS using a Mac or PC.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#307

Post by patcat007 »

pimeys wrote: post #233

Btw. This whole debacle made me to stop installing any Android updates. I've done my best to avoid installing even the security updates, so my diabetes apps continue working in the future. I really need to take the time and go with Graphene OS in this device. My bank N26 kind of still allows it, but they made it harder and harder to use with certain custom checks. Looks like in the future I need a separate banking ph…

[dead]

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#308

Post by titzer »

einpoklum wrote: post #271

The temerity of Alphabet to claim to protect users from malware/spyware, when they are known to share all of your personal information and communications with the US government (Snowden revelations), is the epitome of hubris. And, also, in the world we live in, just another Thursday. But even ignoring this - it is not for Alphabet/Google to decide whether, and how, I want protections. I want to be able to pick a sequ…

It's even worse when Google believes they have a legally defensible justification that your data has been "anonymized". E.g. "anonymized" location data directly from your phone that just so happens to be accurate to the meter. Such data just cannot be anonymized.

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#309

Post by heroku »

transcriptase wrote: post #25

I think the most fun part with Google is that if some wayward algorithm decides it doesn’t like you, along with nuking your app and developer account it will probably nuke your 20 year old gmail, your kids Google Drive accounts, your wife’s YouTube premium, the Adsense account of some company you worked for in 2008, and disable your Nest cameras. And you’ll never reach a human to sort it out.

[dead]

Re: Android Developer Verification: Threat masquerading as protection

#310

Post by phantomathkg »

AlexAltea wrote: post #94
kalx wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried. But then I didnt get access to essential services like banking and national resources.

FWIW, I submitted an EU DMA complaint (Art 27 report) against Alphabet for unfair gatekeeping against third-party distributions like GrapheneOS via Play Integrity. More info: https://github.com/AlexAltea/blog/blob/master/posts/2026-06-... Convincing developers, especially bank and gov apps, is near impossible and won't scale well. Going after Alphabet for not meeting DMA obligations seems the easier path. Might not g…

I can tell you it has NOTHING to do with developer, but more the business/content protection people say unlocked bootloader is not secured.
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