Google plans to exempt sanctioned nations from Android developer verification

I’m checking if my VPN has exit nodes in Iran, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, etc

How would that help you?

The article says, "unverified apps will only be easily installable in the sanctioned countries where verification doesn’t exist."

So even if you used a VPN to trick Google into thinking you live in a sanctioned country, you wouldn't be able to distribute apps to those countries without breaking sanctions.

I don’t want to distribute apps, I just want to be able to install whatever I want on the hardware I own.

Why do people seem to think ungoogled won’t just become ‘unverified’ and the world won’t just keep spinning as usual?

This sucks for anyone with a stock phone, sure.

Oh no, I can’t use my banking app!

Oh no! 🙄 Guess you’ll actively have to remember your balance. The horror.

I already can’t access many (and growing to MOST) government services without my government’s “my gov” app.

The mygov app won’t install/run on my devices as it is not a stock Android OS.

I’m LITERALLY unable to gain access to many government services without having to run a less secure “stock” device.

This isn’t an “oh my, what an inconvenience” situation over here.

It becomes an actual life limiting event.

What hellhole is this when the US typically has no such requirement?

If this is a country in the EU, y’all need to step up and tell US to fuck off,