***** Google's plans to restrict sideloading on Android are an authoritarian wet dream come true *****
Let me be really clear about how horrifically dangerous #Google's plans are to restrict #Android sideloading to "verified developers" (that is, entities for which Google has full verified identity and associated information that they could hand over to authorities on demand).
This means that even though you own your Android device, you cannot install apps obtained from ANY source (except perhaps apps you build yourself that will only be permitted to run on your own device) unless Google knows pretty much everything about who created that app.
The ways that this could be abused are so numerous I won't even start listing them here, other than to note that it is absolutely horrific overreach by Google and at least appears to be Google bending over for abusive government demands, and could put already vulnerable individuals and groups at even more risk.
Absolutely disgusting.
L
@lauren the term "sideloading" in of itself is complete whack, it's just downloading and installing software. Imagine you were calling shopping from somewhere other than amazon "sideshopping". same energy.
Don't legitimaze their practices by legitimizing their terminology.
Sideloading ends 2027 for Android? (installing from unknown sources)
@StaticR @lauren Seems a good idea to actually define #Sideloading just to make sure:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading
Oh wow ok - it can mean simply "#loading" but only now we have it simpler - was more limited or complicated before and has more #contexts retrospectively:
Although installing a package seems the basic, I did think there was MUCH more to it! But not that much.
END IN 2027?
Reference said #Sideloading ends 2027 for #Android? (or maybe they are testing the blow-back from people towards #Google)
(installing from unknown sources
in Wiki reference 2nd in list)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading#cite_note-2
MAYBE TIME TO BUY UP A FEW OF YOUR FAV OLD PHONES !
