Gina3d 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 threadGina3d 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 threadGina3d ago

I'll start with the #opensource strategy and EU tech sovereignty package, and good things happening and alternatives being build etc.

Then mention how the mobile ecosystem is one of the last frontiers left critically assessed.

I'll share how Google is closing down Android (input welcome!). 

And that we need to promote, fund, regulate and perhaps even build open (EU) alternatives in the mobile ecosystem if we don't want to increasingly become captured by 2 US big tech companies.

Show threadGina3d ago

About age/identity verification through the new EU ID wallets, I'll mention something about the necessity of offering this through open apps / app stores. Google is all too eager to become a middleman for these services:

https://reclaimthenet.org/google-wants-to-be-the-id-checkpoint-for-europes-internet

Show threadGina3d ago
One of the final slides in my presentation:
Show threadRandom Sapiens
@Gina @GrapheneOS
Jun 7 at 3:30pmWeb
Show threadHugo2d ago
@random_sapiens @Gina @GrapheneOS #sailfishos by @jolla 😊
Show threadGrapheneOS2d ago
@hlrx @random_sapiens @Gina SailfishOS isn't open source, has atrocious privacy/security and was developed in close partnership with Putin's regime from 2015 through 2023. They first partnered with the Russian government AFTER they invaded Ukraine and were sanctioned. Russia are the only ones able to have a fork of SailfishOS (Aurora OS) since most of the code specific to it is closed source. It's quite silly that they market themselves based on their geographic location considering the history.
Show threadHugo2d ago
@GrapheneOS SailfishOS is gradually opening its source code, let's be patient. Regarding their ties with Russia, @jolla said he had cut his economic relationship with Russia in 2021.
Show threadGrapheneOS2d ago

@hlrx They've barely open sourced any of the code specific to SailfishOS. The parts which are open source are nearly entirely the projects they use from elsewhere.

SailfishOS didn't fully cut their ties to Russia's government until 2023. The management who made the decision to work closely with Putin's regime in the first place are still the ones in charge and now own the company.

It's marketed as open and pro-European but their actions show the opposite. It's nowhere close to as open as AOSP.

Show threadAntti2d ago
@GrapheneOS @hlrx That is false claim. They announced leaving Russia already in 2021 and seized operations there. But in two years they couldn't find anyone to buy Russians out so 2023 they just run the company to bankruptcy to finally get them out.