US tech giant Google announced that it will introduce a new policy for the application publishing process. This policy mandates a comprehensive authentication process for all app developers with the aim of increasing security in the Android ecosystem.
This new policy, which Google calls “Android Developer Verification,” is intended to combat malware on the platform and increase user trust.
Android's new developer verification is touted as an additional layer of security that will deter malicious actors and make it harder for them to cause harm.
Currently, various identity and contact information is requested from developers uploading applications to Google Play. In addition to this information, they will also need to confirm that they have a physical Android device.
Global implementation will take place after 2027
New developer verification requirements were announced in August. Accordingly, new conditions will apply in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand from September next year. All apps installed on a certified device in these countries must be registered by a verified developer. The global implementation of this process will begin in 2027 and beyond.
This new process requires developers to register via an “Android Developer Console”. During this process, you will be asked for government-issued identification, contact information, a one-time registration fee, and an application signing key.
Google says this step is critical to protect users from fraud and malware risks, especially for applications they install from outside of Google Play.
In their written statement on the matter, Suzanne Frey, vice president of product at Google, said that they continue to improve their defenses as new threats emerge and that they are working to prevent abuse and increase developer accountability following recent attacks, including attacks that target financial data on other people's phones.
Explaining that malicious people hide behind anonymity to harm users by creating convincing fake applications, Frey said: “The scale of this threat is quite large. Our latest analysis found that the number of malware coming from sources downloaded from the Internet is 50 times higher than that of applications accessible via Google Play.” gave his assessment.
It draws reactions from application developers
This move by the US technology giant is triggering reactions from some application developers. The Keep Android Open organization believes that Google's extensive verification process will have a negative impact on the open structure of the platform.
The organization, which believes Android should continue its open source philosophy, argues that Google introduced the new procedures not to ensure security, but to increase control over the ecosystem.
It is noted that many independent developers may not want to share their official identification documents with Google due to its privacy-focused approach, which will negatively impact innovation and small-scale software development.
Arguing that the digital sovereignty rights of users and states would be compromised, the organization calls on consumers and developers to react against this directive and contact national regulators.
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