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Comment by EmbarrassedHelp | Hacker News Reader

The problem with mandatory developer registration, is that it gives Google and Governments the ability to veto apps.

It would not be unsurprising for a government to tell Google they must block any VPN apps from being installed on devices, and Google using the developer requirements to carry out the ban.

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It's worse than that. Google will be able to track who's using a particular app because it has to be installed the official way. This means for example that anyone who has installed an ICE Tracking app will be reported to the government and perhaps added to a terrorist list.

No you can still install APKs offline but they have to be signed (likely enforced by Google Play Services). Not to mention you can still install unisgned APKs like before with adb. Which doesn't make this any better of course.

> The problem with mandatory developer registration, is that it gives Google and Governments the ability to veto apps.

Don't they already have that power?

You can download any APK you like on the internet and run it without google/gov getting in the way

Yes, but the already have the power to ban apps if they wanted to. They just don't. That's the point.

No they don't?

No, that is one reason why they are pushing for these changes.

No judgement whatsoever, but for almost everyone they too will think, no big deal you only install software through stores right? Nothing changes for them, in fact they can't conceive of an alternative anymore.

That's true.

How can you judge if Google's plan is a good one? Add up the harms caused by the new rules and weigh that against the reduction in harm and see where the balance is?

I have a hard time believing the net outcome for the overall Android community would be negative.

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