this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
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[–] octopus_ink@slrpnk.net 242 points 3 weeks ago (42 children)

Have we ever lived in a more stallmanwasright.jpg time?

[–] primrosepathspeedrun@anarchist.nexus 135 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Ah. Well. About software. Stallman was right about software

[–] manxu@piefed.social 60 points 3 weeks ago

I never wanted him to be wrong more than right now. Except for tomorrow, it's probably going to bé worse, tomorrow

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[–] Zacryon@feddit.org 148 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)
[–] Hobo@lemmy.world 52 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

~~Don't be evil~~

Be evil when it makes money.

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[–] ook@discuss.tchncs.de 135 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I am really glad to see these articles popping up now. Since the news broke a week back or so it was suspiciously quiet about this, despite lots of negative comments here.

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[–] barnaclebutt@lemmy.world 127 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Isn't this illegal in Europe? Was that the whole point of forcing apple to allow alternative app stores?

[–] progandy@feddit.org 42 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Technically, third party app stores are allowed. Developers "only" register with google to receive a developer certificate. Isn't apple doing the same thing in response to the EU regulations and that has been allowed?

[–] Jason2357@lemmy.ca 40 points 3 weeks ago

Seems like a weasel around the requirement to get rid of the actual benefit of 3rd party stores.

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[–] cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.de 101 points 3 weeks ago (14 children)

There's never been a more urgent time to switch to Linux on pretty much every device.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 58 points 3 weeks ago (17 children)

The mobile options for Linux are years out from being ready and the hardware vendors are locking them out as fast as possible.

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[–] blueworld@piefed.world 90 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

For those in Europe, write your representatives.

Fro me f-droid's post: https://f-droid.org/2025/09/29/google-developer-registration-decree.html

What do we propose?

Regulatory and competition authorities should look carefully at Google’s proposed activities, and ensure that policies designed to improve security are not abused to consolidate monopoly control. We urge regulators to safeguard the ability of alternative app stores and open-source projects to operate freely, and to protect developers who cannot or will not comply with exclusionary registration schemes and demands for personal information.

If you are a developer or user who values digital freedom, you can help. Write to your Member of ParliamentCongressperson or other representative, sign petitions in defense of sideloading, and contact the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) team to express why preserving open distribution matters. By making your voice heard, you help defend not only F-Droid, but the principle that software should remain a commons, accessible and free from unnecessary corporate gatekeeping.

https://f-droid.org/2025/09/04/twif.html [^antifeatures]: F-Droid Anti-Features overview: https://f-droid.org/docs/Anti-Features/ [^howmanyusers]: How many F-Droid users are there, exactly? We don’t know, because we don’t track users or have any registration. “No user accounts, by design”: https://f-droid.org/2022/02/28/no-user-accounts-by-design.html [^sideloading]: ‘“Sideload” is a weird euphemism that the mobile duopoly came up with; it means “installing software without our permission,” which we used to just call “installing software” (because you don’t need a manufacturer’s permission to install software on your computer).’ — Pluralistic: Darth Androidhttps://pluralistic.net/2025/09/01/fulu/ [^playprotect]: “Google Play Protect checks your apps and devices for harmful behavior”: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2812853

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[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 82 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I will literally go without a smartphone if Google does this, this is insane I would have bought an iphone if I wanted a junk device I don't actually own.

[–] Jinni@sh.itjust.works 62 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If this effects de-googled android, I will probably start investing in Linux phones.

I would rather have a limited phone than has full freedom than one that makes everyone go through Google.

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[–] Flatfire@lemmy.ca 43 points 3 weeks ago (11 children)

The crazy part is this may make iOS the better alternative when considering the emergence of third-party app stores and Apple's loosening grip on their ecosystem.

LineageOS is still a good option too, for anyone who would prefer to keep the phone they have

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[–] seraphine@lemmy.blahaj.zone 79 points 2 weeks ago (21 children)
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[–] art@lemmy.world 75 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm starting to think these for-profit companies only care about making money.

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[–] damon@lemmy.world 65 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Hopefully they go to court to get an injunction. Hopefully, they also go to the powers that be in the EU, those same powers have been so focused on the Apple App Store they failed to take into account Google can do something like this with the Play Store. It would be a shame for the F-Droid project to end but it is completely avoidable.

[–] primrosepathspeedrun@anarchist.nexus 30 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

What we can do is complain. Loudly.

Degoogle where possible. Fuck these assholes.

And i guess prepare.

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[–] goatinspace@feddit.org 63 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)
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[–] DarkSideOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 63 points 3 weeks ago (8 children)

Open source community keeps trusting Google and they keep using the Embrace, Extend, Extinguish https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend,_and_extinguish

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[–] MrSulu@lemmy.ml 61 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Let's hope that the rest of the world, specifically Europe smash this ridiculous proposal apart for what it is. Europe has already sorted out USB-C etc. Its not perfect and they don't get everything right, but certainly big enough to make stuff right.

[–] SpaceCadet@sopuli.xyz 41 points 2 weeks ago

They're too busy forcing chat control and age gates through our collective throats.

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[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 57 points 3 weeks ago (14 children)

What pisses me off it that they say they do this for security. It changes absolutely anything.

They really think that malware developers will say "oh no! I need to submit a picture of an id card to sign my malware! It's literally impossible to submit a jpg of a stolen id card, I'm ruined and out of a job!"

What does it change? Waste 20 minutes of some malware developer while they register under a stolen id? They already have a system that scans for known malware and automatically remove it.

[–] fading_person@lemmy.zip 54 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's always security when someone wants to take our freedom away. Always security...

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 29 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Not always. It can also be about the children.

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[–] ZombieMantis@lemmy.world 50 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

"Year of the Linux Phone" has a nice ring to it.

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[–] ezterry@lemmy.zip 44 points 3 weeks ago

I am perfectly ok with android apps being required to be signed by not just a certificate (they always were just it could be self signed and just needed to match to upgrade without removing data) but a list of trusted entities.

As long as:

  • I can install my own key on my phone (I'd I am trusted)
  • major distributors like fdroid and have a key installed without friction (like web CAs)
  • Google let's me mark their key as untrusted (I probably won't but I should be able to refuse things they trust (at install time, not disabling preloaded apps like settings)

Without this it feels too much extending the monopoly despite being forced to allow 3rd party stores.

[–] leastaction@lemmy.ca 43 points 3 weeks ago (20 children)

It seems to me that part of the problem is overreliance on phones as computing devices. A lot of things, like banking, are best done on an actual computer. We have become too dependent on phones.

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[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 36 points 3 weeks ago

The justification is simple, I don't see the confusion, they want absolute power and for all alternatives to wither and die ? What is there not to understand ?

[–] klobuerschtler@lemmy.world 28 points 3 weeks ago

EU be like: Really? Didn't you learn from Apple?

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