[tomek@vz]

A "Keep Android Open" campaign is pushing back on new rules from Google that will reportedly block users from sideloading apps on Android phones. It's unclear who's running the campaign, but a blog post on the free Android app store F-Droid is directing users to visit the campaign's website, which urges the public to lobby government regulators to intervene and stop the upcoming restrictions. "Developers should have the right to create and distribute software without submitting to unnecessary corporate surveillance," reads an open letter posted to the site. [...]

Google has described the upcoming change as akin to requiring app developers to go through "an ID check at the airport." However, F-Droid condemned the new requirement as anti-consumer choice. "If you own a computer, you should have the right to run whatever programs you want on it," it says. Additionally, the rules threaten third-party app distribution on F-Droid, which operates as a "free/open-source app distribution" model.

In its blog post, F-Droid warns about the impact on users and Android app developers. "You, the creator, can no longer develop an app and share it directly with your friends, family, and community without first seeking Google's approval," the app store says. "Over half of all humankind uses an Android smartphone," the blog post adds. "Google does not own your phone. You own your phone. You have the right to decide who to trust, and where you can get your software from."