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Google To Require Identity Verification for All Android App Developers by 2027 (androidauthority.com) 49

Posted by msmash from the bad-guys-ruined-it-for-everyone dept.
Google will require identity verification for all Android app developers, including those distributing apps outside the Play Store, starting September 2026 in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand before expanding globally through 2027. Developers must register through a new Android Developer Console beginning March 2026. The requirement applies to certified Android devices running Google Mobile Services. Google cited malware prevention as the primary motivation, noting sideloaded apps contain 50 times more malware than Play Store apps.

Hobbyist and student developers will receive separate account types. Developer information submitted to Google will not be displayed to users.

Google To Require Identity Verification for All Android App Developers by 2027 More | Reply

Google To Require Identity Verification for All Android App Developers by 2027

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  • If you write any code they dont like they need to be able to find you to smack you.

    Also the future is showing where being a developer is allowed only if you toe the line.

    Eventually some day in my life I may be arrested for illegally possessing a C++ compiler.

  • Of course they have to verify the people they're paying. It's called "KYC", Know Your Customer. Allowing platforms to pay and accept payment from completely anonymous accounts has always lead to money laundering, extortion and fraud. Financialization without KYC is how Roblox was able create a massive supply chain of child labor.

    KYC isn't needed for communication on the internet but it's absolutely needed for financialization on the internet.

    • This is not KYC (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Cward ( 10374574 ) on Monday August 25, 2025 @02:04PM (#65614714)
      They want the identity information for all software, not just software being sold on Play Store. This means software where no money changes hands, and which Google does not even supply, now requires identity checks. Welcome to the slippery slope where nobody can write their own code without large technology companies knowing who wrote it. If you want trustworthy tools like Veracrypt, BitTorrent, Gnutella etc. to exist on mobile platforms, you do not want this to happen.
      • You still can write or install your own software. That doesn't mean Google should be forced to distribute it through their store. This is targeting scammers or malware purveyors, but I don't think it will be successful at stopping any organized entities. It's not as though it's impossible to steal or fake an IF and if there's enough money involved services will pop up to buy and sell clean IDs.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Himmy32 ( 650060 )

          You still can write or install your own software.

          If you identify yourself for an Android Developer account.

          That doesn't mean Google should be forced to distribute it through their store

          This is explicitly for things not on the Play Store. This would apply to sideloading or from alternate stores like F-Droid.

          I don't think it will be successful at stopping any organized entities.

          Then why is it ok to remove developer privacy?

        • You still can write or install your own software. That doesn't mean Google should be forced to distribute it through their store.

          I know it's /. tradition to only read the headline and jump to your own conclusion from there, but this change affects all Android development. Without Google's signature, not even your sideloaded "Hello world" app will install.

          What this could also potentially kill is the app modding community, since most of the people working on that sort of stuff aren't really interested in receiving nastygrams.

          • You can have all the privacy you want. Don't distribute your software via Google.

            • You can have all the privacy you want. Don't distribute your software via Google.

              That's not how this is going to be implemented. If you don't register with Google, you won't be able to sign your apps with a valid key and they won't even be sideloadable. Google is basically taking a page out of Apple's book, after seeing how Apple chose to implement their own version of sideloading.

              It's kind of like the removal of the headphone jack all over again. Apple tends to be something of a trendsetter in user-hostile behaviors.

              • Right. So don't distribute your apps via Android.

                You can just publish your project files and let people build and install it themselves. Total privacy for you.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by EvilSS ( 557649 )
          This is specifically targeting apps not in the Play Store.

          Today, Google announced it is introducing a new “developer verification requirement” for all apps installed on Android devices, regardless of source. The company wants to verify the identity of all developers who distribute apps on Android, even if those apps aren’t on the Play Store. ... Only users with “certified” Android devices — meaning those that ship with the Play Store, Play Services, and other Google Mobile Services (GMS) apps — will block apps from unverified developers from being installed.

          Starting in September 2026, Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed on certified Android devices.

          And BTW "certified Android devices" is most main stream phones sold in stores, the ones most people own. Yes, you can roll your own Android on some phones and this one be an issue, but it will affect the vast majority of devices and users out there.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by bjoast ( 1310293 )
        This is insanely dystopian.

  • Like... they're hosting the software, they have a reasonable need to know who's giving them the software, and an absolute right to refuse to host it if you won't tell them.

    As long as you can sideload apk's still of course. Take that away, and it changes a lot.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by zekica ( 1953180 )
      This is not about apps on the Play Store. This is about sideloading.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Senshi ( 10461927 )
      Malware has been squirming in Play Store for decades. So what happened recently, there are some new apps that alert others when ICE or illegals are spotted. Now Google finally is doing this. Do you really think it's about malware?

      • Re:I'm ok with this? (Score:5, Interesting)

        by jenningsthecat ( 1525947 ) on Monday August 25, 2025 @02:17PM (#65614754)

        Malware has been squirming in Play Store for decades. So what happened recently, there are some new apps that alert others when ICE or illegals are spotted. Now Google finally is doing this. Do you really think it's about malware?

        Damn - I'm fresh out of mod points. You may have been modded down because somebody thinks you're paranoid, but I think you have an interesting and valid point. Google is not immune to serious pressure from an administration whose Fascism is becoming bolder and more undeniable.

      • So what happened recently?

        The TikTok ban, that's what happened.

        Google is moving towards a position of greater control over what is allowed on their platform, so if the government says they want an app "removed", they abso-fucking-lutely can remove it for good. This move puts them in line with Apple, where they can revoke your developer privileges even if you're not distributing through their first party app store. Sure, Google claims it's ostensibly to identify bad actors releasing malware, but the capability of using it in other

    • Apple, is that you?
  • It's a good thing there aren't such things as fake Ids, bogus addresses, etc. that scammers can use; I'm sure they will give up real names and addresses.

  • I'm a pink deer.
    I frolic in the Marshmallow Forest.

  • Defeating the point of side loading (Score:5, Insightful)

    by BrightCandle ( 636365 ) on Monday August 25, 2025 @02:18PM (#65614756)
    The entire point of side loading was that it didn't require being signed and checked via the playstore and Google. Not surprisingly people have been using it to get hold of software that Google doesn't want you to have. Its an essential mechanism for development or just testing things out. We badly need an open platform for mobile, Google is locking Android down now, the replacement ROMs are getting shut down with the lack of distributed OS and now this. None of this about security its about lock in and control.

    • GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, LineageOS, etc are out there.

      The device support is limited because these projects are small. But if you think about it, Google itself mainly releases Android read-to-go for Pixel phones and a handful of partner devices. And Google's resources are several orders of magnitudes larger than that of an open source project.

      I recent swapped out my wife's cheap Motorola for a Pixel precisely because I wanted to get us all on a platform where we have more control and where we can disable invasiv

      • "I recent swapped out my wife's cheap Motorola for a Pixel precisely because I wanted to get us all on a platform where we have more control and where we can disable invasive AI and microphone monitoring that seems to be the latest fad in the mobile industry"

        But that makes no sense. Google is one of the most invasive purveyors of that crap, and Moto/Lenovo only pushes Google's on you just as Google does, so what you've accomplished is spending more for a phone that will do exactly the same amount of unwante

        • It makes sense because Pixel is supported by Graphene and Calyx.

          • I see now where you are going with that, but didn't I just read something about Google reducing code sharing? I'll have to look that up later, it's not convenient now.

            There are also Moto phones with unlockable boot loaders, but it's not all of them. I'm on a non-unlockable one right now, sigh.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by allo ( 1728082 )

      As far as I understand it, you still sign yourself, but Google needs to give you a certificate for your signing key. This then allows Google to revoke your certificate and render all your apps useless, but does not tell them what apps you're signing.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by allo ( 1728082 )

        Of course they still know what apps you're signing, as Play Protect scans the phones of billions of Google users.

  • Read the linked article for details, Google is not just going to implement an app signing/notarization process, it's going to block the sideloading of unsigned/unnotarized applications entirely.

    For some context, Windows allows you to run unsigned apps if you bypass the scary warning and MacOS allows you to run unnotarized apps if you change some OS settings. But Google is going full iOS: No sideloading of unsigned/unnotarized apps at all. Android as delivered to most users (with GMS) is a closed platform

    • Well, shit. I'm going to have to get an alternative phone I guess.

      All affected users should sue Google in small claims court for bait and switch for the apps they sold through their app store. Almost certain to fail, but at least it will cost them money, the scum.

      • Yes, I also feel bait and switched, I've been an Android user since the LG Optimus 2X and I started building my Play Store library pretty much immediately. One of the reasons I chose Android over iOS was the fact you could sideload things like emulators (even emulators Google disapproves of such as psx4droid).

        I also hope some kind of legal action is taken against Google, but I wouldn't bet on it.

        BTW what is this "alternative phone" going to be? Lots of apps that you need to navigate modern life nowada

        • I'm ok without those apps, not excited but I don't use them anyway. (I have used Uber about three times, but not in literally years.) My employer issued me a phone because they are not stupid enough to embrace the security nightmare that is BYOD, so my authenticator has a place to run.

          I don't pretend it won't be inconvenient, but this is unacceptable.

        • I mean, you can technically live without apps such Deliveroo, Uber, Whats App, Viber, and the like, but you probably don't want to.

          You sure can. I do. I never even heard of some of those apps.

    • For some context, Windows allows you to run unsigned apps if you bypass the scary warning and MacOS allows you to run unnotarized apps if you change some OS settings.

      For now.

      At least the saving grace with x86 hardware though, is that it's still open enough that you can say "fuck Microsoft" and run Linux instead, if that day comes.

  • When Google and Apple were just forced to stop forcing the Appstores on users (and make sideloading less scary in the case of Google) I think such a decision is quite a provocation. And I bet there will be many privacy advocates trying to get the EU to sue against that.

  • I won't touch a device with Google services so doesn't really matter to me yet I find these excuses exceedingly lame. Everything is ALWAYS for your own security. The Google play store is an absolute cesspit of everything must be free malware.

    Personally I always use adb install to install apps on my phone. So much easier and faster than screwing around with tiny screens and on screen keyboards. Also not having to deal with automatic updates that randomly break shit intentionally or otherwise is priceless

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AyesC ( 5893452 )

      I won't touch a device with Google services so doesn't really matter to me yet I find these excuses exceedingly lame. Everything is ALWAYS for your own security. The Google play store is an absolute cesspit of everything must be free malware.

      Personally I always use adb install to install apps on my phone. So much easier and faster than screwing around with tiny screens and on screen keyboards. Also not having to deal with automatic updates that randomly break shit intentionally or otherwise is priceless.

      How is ADB easier? Every Android device I've ever sideloaded on is as simple as opening the .apk file in a file browser, tapping install on the confirmation popup, and that's it.

  • So now more hardware to throw out (Score:3)

    by ukoda ( 537183 ) on Monday August 25, 2025 @04:30PM (#65615090) Homepage
    The Google Chromecast paired with SmartTube beta makes YouTube usable if you ignore the scary warnings and don't let Google protect you from the horrors of ad free viewing. With this change it sounds like my Chromecast dongles will be joining my old FireTV dongles in the eWaste bin.

    Just hope that one day that developer will do a version as an add on for Kodi on the RPi.

    This enshitification of Android mean I really need to put more effort into finding future phones and tablets that run Linux instead.

  • Not only should you have to prove identity, you should also be required to provide proof of adequate insurance against liability, errors & omissions, etc.

  • Apple was right to ban sideloading since it is a major source of malware per Google.

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