this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2026

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402

Google gives Android users a way to install unverified apps if they worked hard for it(including waiting 24 hours) (android-developers.googleblog.com)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by Beep@lemmus.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

111 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Lobsters;
Hacker News.

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[–] darkevilmac@lemmy.zip 132 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Okay but, installing an apk is not the kind of thing a scammer does. They'll just install some standard off the shelf remote access software from the play store

This very much feels like they just needed to come up with a new justification for this process and opted for scammers for some reason. Even though they're completely disconnected

[–] cecilkorik@piefed.ca 70 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This very much feels like they just needed to come up with a new justification for this process

It feels that way because that's exactly what happened.

[–] darkevilmac@lemmy.zip 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I was hoping for at least something slightly believable, someone let Gemini write the justification I guess

[–] cecilkorik@piefed.ca 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

They don't even respect us enough to bother with trying to make their lies convincing anymore.

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[–] smeg@infosec.pub 81 points 5 months ago (12 children)

enable developer options
confirm that you are not tricked
restart phone and re-authenticate
wait one day
confirm with biometrics that you know what you are doing
decide if you only want unrestricted installs for 1 week or forever
confirm that you accept the risks
enjoy the few apps that still have developers motivated to develop for a user-base willing to put up with this

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 11 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Is this for all android systems because it is a huge rug pull if so

[–] AHemlocksLie@lemmy.zip 21 points 5 months ago

Pretty sure it's a change to AOSP, the basis for every single Android ROM in existence.

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[–] Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 66 points 5 months ago (1 children)

In addition to the advanced flow we’re building free, limited distribution accounts for students and hobbyists. This allows you to share apps with a small group (up to 20 devices) without needing to provide a government-issued ID or pay a registration fee.

Fuck you sideways, Google.

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What? ID?

[–] MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 8 points 5 months ago

They want developers to share their IDs to have their apps on the play store. The limited groups is so hobbyist developers can still share apps without having to jump through those hoops and so the users don't need to go and enable sideloading, with the caveat that there's a call on how many users you can send it to it looks like.

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 64 points 5 months ago (1 children)

And again, confirming that my current phone will be the last android device I own.

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 23 points 5 months ago (14 children)

What will you use instead though?

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 52 points 5 months ago (8 children)

At this stage, I'm thinking one of the Motorola phones that will run Graphene out of the box.

[–] sbv@sh.itjust.works 35 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Isn't that Android?

[–] riptide@lemmy.world 21 points 5 months ago

I believe it’s a fork of android that is not managed by Google

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 13 points 5 months ago (7 children)

It's an Android fork that has been degoogled

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[–] Zetta@mander.xyz 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I use graphene on a pixel. Graphene is Android, albeit a much better version of Android.

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 5 months ago

I don't care whether it's technically android or not, I care that it's not a tool to let google in to my life.

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[–] tabular@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Linux phone, landline, or tin can and string.

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Another option, an ESP32 radio. Surprisingly large mesh network in the greater Seattle area.

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[–] kbal@fedia.io 48 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Just think of all the other things that could benefit from a "protective waiting period" to enhance your safety.

Turning off location tracking, using a web browser other than Chrome, using a mail server other than Gmail, visiting duckduckgo.com — if Google really cared about your privacy and security they'd add a 24-hour delay to all these dangerous activities.

[–] zerofk@lemmy.zip 9 points 5 months ago

Downloading Linux? Mandatory psych evaluation. For your protection.

[–] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 45 points 5 months ago

[–] gary_d@lemmy.world 35 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I imagine that the demand for linux phones will only grow.

[–] QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

THE PENGUINS MUST GROW

[–] Yaky@slrpnk.net 25 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Who are these smooth-talking scammers that can guide a regular-ass user to jump through hoops in settings to install a malicious app?

Maybe I should ask them how they do it, because I cannot convince my family to download and use Signal. You know, the legit app from the official app store.

[–] goldman60@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago (2 children)

People who can't operate a computer will somehow become gods at following instructions if someone calls "from Microsoft"

[–] d00ery@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Yes exactly this. I try and explain a computer thing to someone and get ignored. That same person talks to some sales rep in the electronics store and comes away "ohh they said I need to buy super expensive antivirus, that'll solve my issue with my screen resolution being too low". 🤦

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[–] Fedditor385@lemmy.world 24 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Can we prevent this on the EU level? It really is just killing independent competition.

[–] tired_n_bored@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Vote for the Pirates

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[–] kalapala@sopuli.xyz 15 points 5 months ago

Rental devices tend to be bad investments for the individuals.

[–] MountainMan@lemmy.zip 12 points 5 months ago

They will just redefine what 24h means!

Don't think for a second that these companies are working in good faith, and would change their evil plans due to some pushback from the rabble. They will just find ways to circumvent things. They have everyone by the nads, there are no competitors.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 11 points 5 months ago (6 children)

This would not have affected me since I use Lineage OS without Google Play Services, but I am now more seriously than ever looking into using a Linux phone like Postmarket OS.

[–] fluxx@mander.xyz 15 points 5 months ago

It would affect a lot of users, then it will indirectly affect you too, as a lot of devs won't be as interested in maintaining their apps for so few users. But I hope it will at least give a bit of a push to developing postmarket os. I personally am sure going to get a second hand phone to install postmarketos too and hope I can contribute at least a little bit. I am prepared to suffer, at least a little bit for the right cause.

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[–] TotalCourage007@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I'm just going to eradicate Google once SteamOS supports mobile devices. Fucking control freak douchebags.

[–] MasterNerd@lemmy.zip 6 points 5 months ago

Bruh what? You're gonna be waiting a long time for that. Better to use one of the pre-existing alternatives than wait for an OS that probably won't ever exist, and probably won't support your hardware if it ever does.

[–] Kissaki@feddit.org 8 points 5 months ago

Why is it called developer mode if it's supposedly an advanced flow? That has a bad implication.

[–] xSikes@feddit.online 6 points 5 months ago

spoiler

___either going back to cell phones or we all go for Linux phones

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