Google U-Turns On Plan To Lock Out Unverified Android Developers

Google has adjusted its plans to introduce controversial new mandatory identity verification rules for developers, following backlash from the Android developer community earlier this year.

Announced in August, the rules would have forced all Android developers to go through a verification process to prove their identities, which involved providing official ID and paying a small fee, even if their apps were sold or distributed outside the Google Play Store. Apps by unverified developers would then be blocked for installation by certified Android devices once the rule came into force in the region.

Many users even started a petition to try to report Google’s move to regulators across the world, including those in the US, Europe, and UK. Criticism on social media was severe in some quarters, with users on Reddit accusing Google of “company greed.” A petition was also started.

Free Android app store F-Droid was one of the parties to slam Google’s proposed developer registration rules, saying the move was not “motivated by security,” but instead said it was “about consolidating power and tightening control over a formerly open ecosystem.”

Google said the move would help stop the spread of Android malware—for example, a scam caller convincing people to install a bogus banking app—by making the developer of the bogus app reveal their identity. Google has had ID verification in place for Play Store developers since 2023, but these rules didn’t apply to apps installed from outside the Play Store, a practice known as ‘sideloading.’

In the recent announcement, Matthew Forsythe, director of product management for Android App Safety, said the company took community feedback on board and is now building a “new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn’t verified.”

The announcement says the flow will be built specifically “to resist coercion” and ensure that users aren’t tricked into bypassing these safety checks while under pressure from a scammer. Google said more details about the feature will be shared in the coming months.

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The company also announced it will introduce a “dedicated account type for students and hobbyists.” According to the announcement, this “will allow you to distribute your creations to a limited number of devices without going through the full verification requirements.” Google says it’s already started inviting developers to early access for developer verification for developers that distribute exclusively outside of Play, via the Android Developer Console.

Despite putting identity verification in place on the Play Store, malware has remained a recurring issue in the Android ecosystem. New Android malware campaigns have continued to emerge. In 2025, malware like ClayRat, which hijacks victims’ SMS contacts to spread itself, has spread far and wide in areas like Russia. Android’s practice of allowing sideloading has long been criticized by rivals such as Apple, with CEO Tim Cook claiming that allowing sideloading was putting users at risk of getting hit by malware.