What We Talk About When We Talk About Sideloading
6 months ago
- #Sideloading
- #DigitalRights
- #Android
- Google claims sideloading is not going away, but new policies effectively restrict it by requiring developer verification.
- The term 'sideloading' is criticized as misleading, implying something negative about installing software outside official stores.
- Google's new rules require developers to register, pay fees, and get approval, limiting user and developer freedoms.
- Consumers will lose the ability to freely choose what software to install on their Android devices.
- Creators can no longer share apps directly without Google's approval, undermining Android's 'open' promise.
- States risk ceding digital sovereignty to Google, which has complied with authoritarian regimes to remove apps.
- Google's claim of 50 times more malware from sideloading lacks evidence, while Play Store itself has had malware issues.
- Recent changes in Chrome and AOSP show Google's increasing control over software distribution.
- Developer verification threatens free software platforms like F-Droid and commercial competitors to the Play Store.
- Advocacy is encouraged to keep Android open, with resources provided for consumers and developers to take action.