this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2026

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419

Google gives Android users a way to install unverified apps if they worked hard for it(including waiting 24 hours) (android-developers.googleblog.com)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by Beep@lemmus.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

134 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Lobsters;
Hacker News.

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[–] Yaky@slrpnk.net 25 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Who are these smooth-talking scammers that can guide a regular-ass user to jump through hoops in settings to install a malicious app?

Maybe I should ask them how they do it, because I cannot convince my family to download and use Signal. You know, the legit app from the official app store.

[–] goldman60@lemmy.world 17 points 6 days ago (2 children)

People who can't operate a computer will somehow become gods at following instructions if someone calls "from Microsoft"

[–] d00ery@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yes exactly this. I try and explain a computer thing to someone and get ignored. That same person talks to some sales rep in the electronics store and comes away "ohh they said I need to buy super expensive antivirus, that'll solve my issue with my screen resolution being too low". 🤦

[–] plyth@feddit.org 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The sales rep offered a solution to that person's problem.

You want that person to be right which they perceive as you want to dominate them.

So they try to resist you while they are highly motivated to follow the instructions of the sales person.

[–] d00ery@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Interesting explanation of the psychology and I don't necessarily doubt it, But I also offered a solution. The solution I've offered fixes the problem, the salesman's solution sounds like it solves the problem but does not.

[–] plyth@feddit.org 2 points 6 days ago

A solution without demand is worthless. At first the demand has to be created. Some people value understanding and are thankful but that's a small minority.

[–] smeenz@lemmy.nz 4 points 6 days ago

You mean from 'The Microsoft'

[–] sveltecider@lemmy.ca 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Who are these smooth-talking scammers that can guide a regular-ass user to jump through hoops in settings to install a malicious app?

you would be extremely surprised. I think lemmy users fail to realize that not everyone has an IT job and is a sys admin.

[–] favoredponcho@lemmy.zip 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Exactly.. there are a ton of older people falling for scams everyday. It's all over the news. They manipulate people by pretending to be a love interest or a family member.

[–] TotalCourage007@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm just going to eradicate Google once SteamOS supports mobile devices. Fucking control freak douchebags.

[–] MasterNerd@lemmy.zip 6 points 6 days ago

Bruh what? You're gonna be waiting a long time for that. Better to use one of the pre-existing alternatives than wait for an OS that probably won't ever exist, and probably won't support your hardware if it ever does.

[–] rikviergever@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

Not happening on /e/OS! You can join us here: https://e.foundation/

[–] underwater_ghouls77@lemmy.zip 3 points 6 days ago

What the fuck

[–] darkevilmac@lemmy.zip 135 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Okay but, installing an apk is not the kind of thing a scammer does. They'll just install some standard off the shelf remote access software from the play store

This very much feels like they just needed to come up with a new justification for this process and opted for scammers for some reason. Even though they're completely disconnected

[–] cecilkorik@piefed.ca 73 points 1 week ago (3 children)

This very much feels like they just needed to come up with a new justification for this process

It feels that way because that's exactly what happened.

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[–] smeg@infosec.pub 88 points 1 week ago (14 children)

enable developer options
confirm that you are not tricked
restart phone and re-authenticate
wait one day
confirm with biometrics that you know what you are doing
decide if you only want unrestricted installs for 1 week or forever
confirm that you accept the risks
enjoy the few apps that still have developers motivated to develop for a user-base willing to put up with this

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 6 days ago

Combined with the news that they're going to start requiring developer age verification even in the alternate app repositories...

[–] flying_sheep@lemmy.ml 4 points 6 days ago

The biometrics part makes no sense, you can disable biometrics. You mean that you have to do a security confirmation however you've set it up.

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[–] Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 72 points 1 week ago (10 children)

In addition to the advanced flow we’re building free, limited distribution accounts for students and hobbyists. This allows you to share apps with a small group (up to 20 devices) without needing to provide a government-issued ID or pay a registration fee.

Fuck you sideways, Google.

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[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 71 points 1 week ago (1 children)

And again, confirming that my current phone will be the last android device I own.

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 26 points 1 week ago (17 children)

What will you use instead though?

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 57 points 1 week ago (9 children)

At this stage, I'm thinking one of the Motorola phones that will run Graphene out of the box.

[–] sbv@sh.itjust.works 38 points 1 week ago (10 children)

Isn't that Android?

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[–] kbal@fedia.io 51 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Just think of all the other things that could benefit from a "protective waiting period" to enhance your safety.

Turning off location tracking, using a web browser other than Chrome, using a mail server other than Gmail, visiting duckduckgo.com — if Google really cared about your privacy and security they'd add a 24-hour delay to all these dangerous activities.

[–] zerofk@lemmy.zip 9 points 6 days ago

Downloading Linux? Mandatory psych evaluation. For your protection.

[–] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 49 points 1 week ago

[–] shrek_is_love@lemmy.ml 43 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They think this will take some of the heat off of them. Hopefully no one actually thinks this is a reasonable compromise. If I want to help an elderly family member install something on their phone during Thanksgiving dinner or a family reunion, I'm not gonna want to wait a day. Uncle Paul's flying back to Florida tomorrow morning!

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[–] gary_d@lemmy.world 40 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I imagine that the demand for linux phones will only grow.

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