What is the future of F-Droid and apps it distributes now that Google is hell bent on stopping sideloading and forcing developers to register at google? A large portion of what F-droid distributes are apps that are not at Google’s good graces.
https://hackaday.com/2025/08/26/google-will-require-developer-verification-even-for-sideloading/
@Hirom@beehaw.org @Korkki@lemmy.ml
Problem is when government apps are required to do things such as income tax return, car license renewal, even to receive updates on medical appointments for public healthcare.
Brazil is such an example: everything have been increasingly reliant on gov.br (official Brazilian state portal) app, which refuses to work on the slightest phone settings modification, such as having developer mode on, having an unlocked bootloader and, by extension, having something other than rawdoggy Android or iOS.
While there is a website, it has since recently been asking for TFA through the app (which does facial recognition), so website-only is a no deal anymore.
One can do things offline, but services have been increasingly pivoting to digital since the COVID-19 pandemics. Income tax return is already done through online means: for now, it offers a Linux software, but I can feel it asking for TFA through Android-or-iOS app soon.
One can choose not to use government services altogether, until the government decides to block one’s CPF (taxpayer id) due to the lack of income tax return paperwork, unpaid electoral fines for not voting (because the voter is required to keep their info updated whenever they move, not doing so can lead to not being able to vote), among other situations that require using gov (and/or banking) services.
I’ve been daring to do this, nevertheless: been increasingly ditching apps, closing accounts, even if I get unable to pay for things because everything around here is increasingly pivoting to Pix (Brazilian instant payment system which requires a banking app and can’t be done through a computer browser). I don’t care if my ID gets blocked eventually, I’m not taking any piece of paper or bits of oscillating electricity with me when I happen to leave this existence anyways (which I hope to be really soon because I’m done with this Kafkaesque world).
It’s sad that gouvernments require adhering to some corporation’s terms of service, and tracking, to access public service.
Public service are a right, it shouldn’t be a choice between public service and privacy, but it’s also important to have access to healthcare. It’s fine to both complain about an app, and to use it to avoid being excluded.
I try to use alternatives (websites, physical mail, phone) instead of apps whenever possible. When a provider announced their website would be retired and told customers to install apps, I email them to request they send monthly invoice by snail mail. They’re required by law if requested, at least here. And it’s probably more costly to them.