An Open Letter to Google regarding Mandatory Developer Registration for Android App Distribution
Hacker News
February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
An open letter has been issued to Google expressing strong opposition to its new policy requiring all Android app developers to register centrally with Google in order to distribute applications outside the Google Play Store. The signatories, representing civil society, nonprofits, and technology companies, argue that this mandate undermines the platform's historical openness and raises significant concerns about innovation, competition, privacy, and user freedom.
The letter highlights how the new policy fundamentally alters Android's open nature by extending Google's control beyond its own marketplace into alternative distribution channels such as third-party app stores or direct transfers. This forces developers who choose not to use Google’s services to register with and submit to Google’s terms, including payment of fees and providing government-issued identification. Such a move is seen as unnecessary given the existing security mechanisms in place on Android.
The signatories also express concern about the barriers to entry this policy creates for individual
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Originally published on Hacker News on 2/24/2026