Gina2d ago

🚨 Say that I were to give a talk to EU policy makers and OSS communities at a very big conference tomorrow..

and that I want to spend half of my talk on how Google is locking down #Android through:
1. Device attestation
2. Developer registration
3. Age/identity verification

What should I absolutely include? 👀

Input is welcome, sorry for the short notice. Plain language + realistic calls to action pls.

@fdroidorg @GrapheneOS @postmarketOS @Fairphone @appfair @fsfe @murena @volla @IzzyOnDroid

Show threadGina2d ago

Boosting and tagging is appreciated, DM's are welcome too.

I really want to get this right, so please only use verified information. And yes, I'll be mentioning https://keepandroidopen.org/ extensively.

(And yes I will also mention Apple and the role of the DMA, but only briefly. More info: https://mastodon.social/@kirschner/116440678455335985)

Keep Android Open

Your phone is about to stop being yours. In September 2026, Google will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with them.

Show threadJeroen Wiert Pluimers2d ago

@Gina is their path to bind reCaptcha to phones via QR code, and the resulting privacy consequences, large enough for your talk?

https://tweakers.net/nieuws/247664/nieuwe-recaptcha-check-werkt-niet-op-android-telefoons-zonder-google-diensten.html

Nieuwe reCaptcha-check werkt niet op Android-telefoons zonder Google-diensten

Een nieuwe reCaptcha-verificatiecheck werkt niet op Android-telefoons zonder Google Play Services. Dit betekent dat de check niet zomaar zal werken op custom roms zoals GrapheneOS. Google kondigde de nieuwe reCaptcha-check vorige maand aan, die werkt met een QR-code en fraude met AI-bots tegen moet gaan.

Tweakers
Show threadGina2d ago
@wiert I'll see if I can include it as an example of how Google is weaponizing it's Play Integrity API, but it's small compared to the other topics.
Show threadSWAT

@Gina
Please at least mention it shortly. It is a real and concrete example of the previously "hypothesized" enshittification.

It is in quotes, because we saw stuff like this coming a mile away, it is was always downplayed.

Now it actually happened. Never waste a good crisis 😉

@wiert

Jun 7 at 9:29amWeb
Show threadDagnabbit, Pascaline ! 💥2d ago

@swat

Agreed, mentioning it is great; this is something that directly affects consumers and may infringe on their consumer rights.

@Gina @wiert