The #FDroid website has a new banner on top to remind visitors that #Google did not change course and #Android will be locked-down in under 200 days.
If you care about the freedom to control your devices and care about the privacy of you data, please contact your representative and make your voice heard.
keepandroidopen.org/ (thanks @marcprux) has the resources to guide you.
We know users will rarely visit the site so the Client(s) will get a banner soon too.
Thank you for your support!
Keep Android Open
Advocating for Android as a free, open platform for everyone to build apps on.keepandroidopen.org
🌴 Seph 💭 👾 reshared this.
nomadmisha
in reply to F-Droid • • •Cy8aer
in reply to F-Droid • • •Keep Android Open
keepandroidopen.orgAlonely0 🦀 🇪🇺
in reply to Cy8aer • • •Here is some insight of you wanna go down the rabbit hole: discuss.grapheneos.org/d/7519-…
F-droid security - GrapheneOS Discussion Forum
GrapheneOS Discussion ForumF-Droid
in reply to Alonely0 🦀 🇪🇺 • • •Alonely0 🦀 🇪🇺
in reply to F-Droid • • •Stu
in reply to Alonely0 🦀 🇪🇺 • • •@Alonely0 @cy8aer
I read some of those threads linked from the discuss link. This whole situation is exhausting. Multiple ways to get screwed over on multiple fronts. The layman has no chance to understand any of this.
And then, of course, you'll get a pithy "use ubuntu" reply to these threads, which is fine if you have one of the 12 old phones supported by it.
I don't know what the solution is, but if the answer is "get the apk from github and ensure you trust the dev" then essentially everyone is screwed.
Alonely0 🦀 🇪🇺
in reply to Stu • • •F-Droid
in reply to Alonely0 🦀 🇪🇺 • • •Inclusion How-To | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
f-droid.orgAlonely0 🦀 🇪🇺
in reply to F-Droid • • •Hans
in reply to F-Droid • • •Die Website "FDroid" hat ein neues Banner, um die Besucher daran zu erinnern, dass "Google den Kurs nicht geändert hat" und "Android" in weniger als 200 Tagen gesperrt wird.
Datenschutz- und Regulierungsbehörden sind ernsthaft besorgt über Monopole und die zunehmende Machtkonzentration im Technologiesektor – und sie möchten die Stimmen der Betroffenen hören.
Für weitere Infos: keepandroidopen.org/de/
f-droid.org/de/
Keep Android Open
keepandroidopen.orgzetabeta
in reply to F-Droid • • •i don't like to downplay f-droid efforts, or spread pessimism.
still, my unfortunate opinion. android starts to be lost cause, too much gooish google in it, like there is apple control in apple devices.
it is not just closed google components, it is android ecosystem and api's in general. alphabet inc controls android too much.
of course, delaying destruction of open android is still beneficial for short term.
Izzy
in reply to F-Droid • • •And while the banner correctly states F-Droid being under threat: it's not just F-Droid, it's the free Android world being under threat. In its entirety. So the same applies to IzzyOnDroid – but also to Obtainium & Co. And if you think you could still use Aurora to access the PlayStore, think again: how would you install Aurora in the first place?
This is the empire striking. The alleged "security" is just a way to circumvent the requirement to open for alternative stores.
uuʎℲ
in reply to F-Droid • • •Therefore I preordered the new #jollaphone with Sailfish OS and AndroidAppSupport.
Maybe it is time for Linux to shine on mobile as well. May it be #sailfishos, #postmarketos, #ubuntutouch or another Linux mobile OS. And Android emulators like #WayDroid .
Keep Android Open
keepandroidopen.orgEpic Null
in reply to F-Droid • • •200 days till lock down. That means about half a year to finish my divorce from Google and find a replacement phone.
Ironically this is the first news lately that has not made me feel horribly behind schedule.
ElGrossKotzo
in reply to F-Droid • • •Kalle Kniivilä
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to Kalle Kniivilä • • •Gonçalo Valério
in reply to F-Droid • • •As a big fan and user of F-Droid, I'm afraid the writing is on the wall.
As others have said, we can no longer rely on Android being what it needs to be.
A true alternative is required.
Klaus
in reply to F-Droid • • •RE: floss.social/@fdroidorg/116086…
Wie sieht das dann mit z. B. GrapheneOS oder /e/OS aus? Sind die damit auch aus dem Spiel?
Zumindest bei z. B. einem Fairphone mit /e/OS hätte ich die Hoffnung, dass die auch weiterhin nutzbar wären?
F-Droid
2026-02-17 13:05:42
Punnamaraju Vinayaka Tejas
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to Punnamaraju Vinayaka Tejas • • •Scale Theory
in reply to F-Droid • • •Who let this monopoly game go so long?
Tell me your corrupt without telling us all just how effing corrupt you are!
crazyeddie
in reply to F-Droid • • •What am I supposed to say they're doing that's illegal when I complain?
"Please exercise powers you don't have to do a thing I know you fully support and instead listen to me, who you don't give two fucks about. I don't even have a dollar to bribe you with."
No, seriously. What do I put in this form? I haven't a clue. There's no point if I can't even attempt to be convincing and I don't know one single thing that would convince anyone of anything here.
F-Droid
in reply to crazyeddie • • •crazyeddie
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to crazyeddie • • •Resuna
in reply to F-Droid • • •@crazyeddie
The defunct email addresses in that section are depressing.
crazyeddie
in reply to F-Droid • • •It just sends me to a place where I can report an antitrust claim. Like say google is breaking the law and needs to be investigated.
I don't know what I'd tell them they're doing wrong nor what steps should be taken. I'm especially baffled because we already let Apple do this shit.
I can't just complain about stuff on a crime reporting form. I need to be reporting something.
Ryek Darkener
in reply to F-Droid • • •I would prefer a way to have the opportunity to change the behaviour of what I can and what I can’t do on my phone – like a "free"-"unfree" switch to be easily used on my phone. As I won’t bet that politics is willing to to the job in the next 200 days.
F-Droid
in reply to Ryek Darkener • • •Ryek Darkener
in reply to F-Droid • • •I’m very much struggling with the idea that our politicians do not know what happens.
F-Droid
in reply to Ryek Darkener • • •Ryek Darkener
in reply to F-Droid • • •I would like to have an operating system for my current – and any other – smartphone to be easy installed via otg stick. Like any other computer. A lot of this is already in place. And frankly spoken I don’t think that 95% of the current users care if they can use F-Droid or not. I like F-Droid. But sadly it is elitist currently and not mainstream.
F-Droid
in reply to Ryek Darkener • • •Ryek Darkener
in reply to F-Droid • • •The problem is the majority of users. And their unwillingness to learn and to adapt.
James Bilsbrough
in reply to F-Droid • • •nicolaottomano
in reply to F-Droid • • •Thlosh
in reply to F-Droid • • •Al & Val's Modern Homesteading
in reply to F-Droid • • •Archilochus
in reply to F-Droid • • •ALT43
in reply to F-Droid • • •DiaaGaza
in reply to F-Droid • • •Toughest Bastard on the Fedi
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to Toughest Bastard on the Fedi • • •Preuk
in reply to F-Droid • • •Got a quick answer from EU's DMA Team, they might have a standard response due to high demand :
> Dear citizen,
>
> Thank you for contacting us and sharing your concerns regarding the impact of Google’s plans to introduce a developer verification process on Android. We appreciate that you have chosen to contact us, as we welcome feedback from interested parties.
... 1/N
Preuk
in reply to Preuk • • •... 2/3
Preuk
in reply to Preuk • • •>
> Kind regards,
> The DMA Team
... 3/3
Preuk
in reply to Preuk • • •F-Droid
in reply to Preuk • • •ZanaGB
in reply to F-Droid • • •We received the same email back despite specifying it is certainly disproportionate.
That is... Dissapointing to say the least.
Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe
in reply to Preuk • • •Can you give me a link where you contacted in the EU and how? I am a bit overwhelmed on where to report my concerns.
F-Droid
in reply to Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe • • •Keep Android Open
keepandroidopen.orgViktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe
in reply to F-Droid • • •@Preuk
Thanks for the link
Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe
in reply to F-Droid • • •I still have problems to understand what happens with apps like those of fossify, or DuckDuckGo for example, that i downloaded and maintain over F-Droid, but that are also available on Playstore and thus should be under the "verified" category.
These should still work but not the F-Droid Store App itself so i need to update via a website manually???
I am not an IT person. I genuelly have problems understanding this, despite having read the infos i found so far.
F-Droid
in reply to Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe • • •@v_d_richards If signed by the developer (reproducible) and the developer has submitted to the Google pressure, the app will work fine.
If signed by F-Droid, we think they will not work at all, not even our Client, so we will not be able to provide updates.
For those apps already on Play you will submit to Google's rules and use Play, right?
For those not on Play... good luck tracking the APK, if the developer bowed down.
Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe
in reply to F-Droid • • •I hated Google before, but do more every day.
I had hoped that if Apps and their developers took it on them to do the verification shit, loading and maintaining at least such apps from other places than PlayStore would be possible in Android.
The users are trapped:
Banking Apps and some others don' t work with Custom Roms.
Open Source from free places will no longer work on G-Android.
The only solution is havingntwo devices which is expensive af.
I.hate.Google.so.much.
Roberto Plà
in reply to F-Droid • • •Si china puede hacer un clon de Android, ¿Acaso no puede hacerlo Europa?
¿Para cuando un Linux para dispositivos móviles?
¿hasta cuando seguiremos siendo vasallos de las multinacionales norteamericanas?
¿Para cuando nuestra delcaración de Soberania Digital?
¡Sin Soberania Digital no hay libertad, independencia ni democrácia!
jmjm
in reply to F-Droid • • •Apicultor 🐝
in reply to F-Droid • • •Did you secure your build environment yet? Why must you re-sign everything instead of using signed artifacts from developers?
Until then, #Obtainium.
@marcprux
F-Droid
in reply to Apicultor 🐝 • • •@apicultor Everything we do is transparent and public, eg. floss.social/@fdroidorg/116086…
F-Droid
2026-02-17 14:53:10
F-Droid
in reply to Apicultor 🐝 • • •About | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
f-droid.orgDenizen
in reply to F-Droid • • •nathanael
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to nathanael • • •nathanael
in reply to F-Droid • • •not sure i get what you're saying. we shouldn't support grapheneos cause they are not affected?!
cc @GrapheneOS
F-Droid
in reply to nathanael • • •@nathanael @GrapheneOS We should be allies in the Android ecosystem (specially during these days) but they choose to be frenemies for some reason.
Fun fact: We talked with more GOS users at FOSDEM than stock Android users. 🤔
nathanael
in reply to F-Droid • • •because they decided to be enemies you don't list them? this is childish. they might have an opinion you don't like. so what? get over it. saying this:
and not listing grapheneos makes you the bad guys in my book...
@GrapheneOS
Jan Ulrich Hasecke
in reply to F-Droid • • •Jean-Paul Lepine
in reply to F-Droid • • •Sören
in reply to F-Droid • • •moin
in reply to F-Droid • • •Thank you for your amazing work. For me its time to switch to Linux in under 200 days.
@marcprux
CIMB4
in reply to F-Droid • • •yianiris
in reply to F-Droid • • •We don't have representatives, we live in capitalism. All those elected to run government represent multinational industries and their federation, banks and financial institutions. We are their enemy, they are not going to listen.
Unless....
We force them to listen
@fdroidorg @marcprux
paradox
in reply to F-Droid • • •FLOSSbOxIN
in reply to F-Droid • • •FLOSSbOxIN (@fbinin@mastodon.fbin.in)
FbIN MastodonJaycosm🔆
in reply to F-Droid • • •If Google doesn't want to play nice, I suppose we have options...
Huawei HarmonyOS: harmonyos.com/en/
Samsung TizenOS: samsungtizenos.com/
Perhaps an Android exodus would scare Google enough to backtrack on its registration agenda.
#KeepAndroidOpen
Tizen
TizenViktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe
in reply to F-Droid • • •Does anyone know how this affects phones that already have F-Droid and apps from there installed?
Will some Android/Google Update make them stop working all of a sudden? Or not let me update them anymore? Or will this affect only future Android versions?
F-Droid
in reply to Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe • • •h4890
in reply to F-Droid • • •I think it is useless to keep android open. As long as google controls it, it is a sinking ship.
Much better to move to other alternatives like Jolla or other linuxbased options and rebuild from scratch.
Simx72
in reply to F-Droid • • •will this affect lineage phones? (or any other roms)
Directly or indirectly?
F-Droid
in reply to Simx72 • • •oldherl
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to oldherl • • •Marcus
in reply to F-Droid • • •Jeroen van Tol 🍋 🐸🔻
in reply to F-Droid • • •Brad Koehn
in reply to F-Droid • • •F-Droid
in reply to Brad Koehn • • •#Google when talking in court against #EpicGames: "we are open"
Google when talking with #FLOSS devs: "not for you"
Alex Rock
in reply to F-Droid • • •Good to know that Google are keeping their track about "Apple-izing" themselves.
They just waited until there were absolutely zero competitor to close the whole thing.
Time to degoogleize all mobile OSes 😮💨
Page Asgardius
in reply to F-Droid • • •ZZyphraxis
in reply to F-Droid • • •paet
in reply to F-Droid • • •Thank you for the information and links at keepandroidopen.org/
Got a relatively generic and neutral but friendly response.
I'm still unsure whether this contributes a drop to filling the ocean... 🤔
Keep Android Open
keepandroidopen.orgF-Droid
in reply to paet • • •@paet floss.social/@fdroidorg/116086…
F-Droid
2026-02-17 16:47:19
Pete the Gopher Keeper
in reply to F-Droid • • •Izzy
in reply to F-Droid • • •> We know users will rarely visit the site so the Client(s) will get a banner soon too.
The new release of Neo Store (published today) already has it. And our website has it as well: izzyondroid.org/
IzzyOnDroid
izzyondroid.orgfishliker12
in reply to F-Droid • • •LiquidParasyte
in reply to fishliker12 • • •Having to pay a company and send your government id to that company, who will absolutely turn that data over to the government, is not an acceptable way to develop software.
Especially as that government is actively targeting dissenters and anyone who opposes them.
Especially as that company is making plans to go into the PC space, creating computers more locked down than Windows.
Especially as that company already has an 'anti-virus' activated on every Android licensed device by default that flags and prevents these malicious apps.
fishliker12
in reply to LiquidParasyte • • •LiquidParasyte
in reply to fishliker12 • • •It will also affect developers who choose to or have to stay anonymous to protect themselves from bad actors like rogue governments, and make it harder to develop software that authorities do not want made, such as emulation software, or adblocking tools and clients, or law enforcement raid watches.
Your personal exclusion from these restrictions does not solve the problem for developers, nor the majority of people who use Android who can't, don't know how to, or afford a degoogled device.
fishliker12
in reply to LiquidParasyte • • •F-Droid
in reply to fishliker12 • • •grob (teeth era) 🇺🇦🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
in reply to F-Droid • • •Doune
in reply to F-Droid • • •