Critics slam Google’s “high-friction” sideloading process as a move to control Android
Google is making sideloading apps a difficult, multi-step process with a 24-hour wait.
Critics argue this is a move to control the Android ecosystem under the guise of user safety.
The new flow can be changed remotely by Google, offering no permanent guarantee of sideloading access.
User backlash highlights how this undermines Android’s core promise of openness and user control.
This is seen as part of a broader pattern of Google gradually eroding device ownership and freedom.
Read Full Article: https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-03-24-google-friction-sideloading-process-control-android.html
