Tools: Open Letter To Google On Mandatory Developer Registration For App...

We, the undersigned organizations representing civil society, nonprofit institutions, and technology companies, write to express our strong opposition to Google’s announced policy requiring all Android app developers to register centrally with Google themselves in order to distribute applications outside of the Google Play Store, set to take effect worldwide in the coming months.

Android has historically been characterized as an open platform where users and developers can operate independently of Google’s services. The proposed developer registration policy fundamentally alters that relationship by requiring developers who wish to distribute apps through alternative channels — their own websites, third-party app stores, enterprise distribution systems, or direct transfers — to first seek permission from Google through a mandatory verification process, which involves the agreement to Google’s terms and conditions, the payment of a fee, and the uploading of government-issued identification.

This extends Google’s gatekeeping authority beyond its own marketplace into distribution channels where it has no legitimate operational role. Developers who choose not to use Google’s services should not be forced to register with, and submit to the judgement of, Google. Centralizing the registration of all applications worldwide also gives Google newfound powers to completely disable any app it wants to, for any reason, for the entire Android ecosystem.

Mandatory registration creates friction and barriers to entry, particularly for:

Every additional bureaucratic hurdle reduces diversity in the software ecosystem and concentrates power in the hands of large established players who can more easily absorb such compliance costs.

Requiring registration with Google creates a comprehensive database of all Android developers, regardless of whether or not they use Google’s services. This raises serious questions about:

Developers should have the right to create and distribute software without submitting to unnecessary surveillance or scrutiny.

4. Arbitrary Enforcement and Account Termination Risks

Google’s existing app review processes have been criticized for opaque decision-making, inconsistent enforcement, and limited appeal mechanisms. Extending this system to all Android certified devices creates risks of:

A single point of failure controlled by one corporation is antithetical to a healthy, competitive software ecosystem.

Source: HackerNews