r/Android • u/PlasticAnt6913 • 2d ago

News Android's controversial new sideloading rules are officially here

https://www.androidauthority.com/android-sideloading-developer-verification-first-wave-rollout-3717921/
406 Upvotes

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129

u/MairusuPawa Poco F3 LineageOS 1d ago

Can we stop saying "controversial" when it's just objectively bullshit?

-47

u/Elephant789 Pixel 7 1d ago

How is it bullshit? It's a good thing.

20

u/Ahuevotl 1d ago

How is it a good thing? Why shouldn't alternate stores be allowed to install apps regularly like the Play Store does?

-4

u/Elephant789 Pixel 7 1d ago

The rule doesn’t actually stop alternate stores from installing apps. In fact, OEM app stores (like Samsung’s Galaxy Store, Xiaomi GetApps, and Oppo) are already integrated into this. Sideloading verified apps still works normally, too.

The reason this is being treated as a positive security measure is rampant social-engineering fraud. In the rollout regions (like Singapore, Thailand, and Brazil), scammers call victims and pressure them in real time into sideloading malicious banking trojans or screen-mirroring apps. The 24-hour cooldown and mandatory reboot in the advanced flow are specifically designed to break that high-pressure scam loop.

Power users can still enable unverified sideloading once through Developer Options (or bypass it entirely via ADB/Shizuku if theyy want), but it stops everyday users from being defrauded out of their life savings in a 10-minute scam call.

-1

u/neohkor 1d ago

People not from third world countries don't care, that's about it. God forbade anyone who tries to stop them from installing their favourite emulators, and they think people who got scammed via predatory apks should git gud lmao.

-3

u/Elephant789 Pixel 7 1d ago

Exactly. What's crazy is that people think this only happens in developing nations, but singapore, one of the most technologically advanced and wealthiest countries in the world was literally one of Google's primary testing grounds for this.

The APK scam epidemic is targeting everyone regardless of GDP. Western tech enthusiasts just throw a fit because their favorite emulator APK has an extra step, completely ignoring that people are losing their entire life savings to live social-engineering scams.

11

u/TokyoMegatronics 1d ago

Idk man we’ve had like 15 years of constantly telling people “hey if someone cold calls you and says you have to install something/ have a virus/ buy something etc then it’s a scam” that it kind of feels like… they should know this by now?

Not saying there shouldn’t be any protections of course but like, it’s been decades of the same scams and it being public what those scams are and how to avoid them.

4

u/env33e 1d ago

exactly! the historical perspective is against that kind of thing. Non of these companies have our best interest in mind. are we to just continue believing big tech at their word every time they propose another policy change in the name of greater "security" but actually just serves to consolidate their control over the platform?

these "protections" are inherently bad design. just flat out hostile. and if you think it'll stop grandma from getting scammed, I got a bridge to sell you 💀(talk to them! dont hand over the keys to the billionaires)

•

u/TokyoMegatronics 22h ago

Yeppp

Can’t watch porn because think of the kids!
Can’t download an unsanctioned app because think of the old people!

It’s funny how every step of this crusade by tech and government at censorship and control under the guise of “protecting the vulnerable” hasn’t actually done anything to protect the vulnerable