Freedom in Android is fading, but we can still reverse the course

Android became the world’s most-used mobile system because it was Free Software. Step by step, Google is closing it. But we can change this.

Do you remember your first Android phone? I do – and it was fascinating. In 2009, I experienced the power of Free Software in a mobile device. My earlier "feature phones" were limited and proprietary, whereas Android gave me a glimpse on what software freedom means. Friends of mine even began their IT careers by tweaking Android phones.

Google profoundly changed the market of smartphones by releasing its mobile operating system as Free Software under the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Apple, Google’s main competitor, kept the proprietary model to full extent, negating everyone the possibility to flash their phones. .

Because of the freedoms it granted, a large community of developers flourished, and Android became the world's most widely used mobile operating system. It was a fair deal: Google benefited from strong network effects, while developers and users enjoyed software freedom in their mobiles.

For almost two decades, Android offered a model which Free Software apps, browsers, app stores and operating systems could operate and compete against the proprietary ones. By contrast, Apple was the sole ruler over its devices: even installing software requires the company’s permission.

Until now. Recent changes in Android are waning the differences between the two models. Google is enclosing the development of AOSP by a developer verification scheme and the app store registration program. These changes endanger Android as an open platform.

Google states that all these measures “strength security” – but the question is: what is the price of abandoning Free Software? Android has been serving billions of users and developers. It proved Free Software as the most successful model. Moving away from it will jeopardise Google’s own triumph.

We must correct this course. Society cannot afford two Apples!

Security and trust of your device should not be decided by one or two big tech.

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Apple and Google are not the same. Is this about to change?

Android offered something Apple was never willing to offer: unfettered software installation.

Although Google has moved functionality from AOSP into their proprietary app layer, Google Play, developers and users were still able to run any software they wanted. In contrast, the mere fact of flashing iPhones could be considered crime in some countries.

More recently, however, Google moved the development of Android behind closed doors. Source code is still being published in batches, but the public branch of AOSP was deprecated. This was a severe setback for Android developers who are not employed by Google. Still, it is not comparable to how opaque the development of iOS is.

Then a harsh blow came: the measures to verify the identity of the developers and to register app stores hit unfettered software installation directly. These schemes impose on “non-verified developers” a lengthy and complex procedure, consisted of with many steps, including a “24h waiting period” before their apps can be installed!

Is Google is turning itself towards Apple’s business model? Many of us are currently wondering.

Security and fraud are real problems. But does the way to solve them really involve a global identity register of developers? Does it require to force Free Software app stores to pay fees up to 16.000 USD annually?

What is the FSFE doing about it?

We envision a world in which everyone should have the right to install any software on any of their devices. Neither the manufacturer nor the platform owner should decide what runs on your device. This applies to Google, too.

• Many developers working with Android are concerned. Google’s employees included. We listen to them and engage with relevant teams.
• We ensure more people understand all those changes, and supported the global campaign “Keep Android Open”.
• Regulators constantly reach out to us. The European Union, the UK, Japan and Brazil are regulating Android. We educate them on why keeping Android open is key for fair competition, security and freedom of choice. We are helping the knowledge transfer between developers and decision makers.
• Lastly, we won a court case against Apple. We believe EU legislation should be developer friendly. Innovation and long term benefits for society should not be hampered by lawyers in the interest of maximising short term profits.

My previous experience with Android taught me what software freedom feels like. Now, more than ever, we should repeal proprietary business model over devices. Society will loose in the long run if Android abandons its main advantage: Free Software on its core.

Lucas Lasota - FSFE Senior Legal Programme Manager (happily using Android)

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Jean-Baptiste Kempf receives the European SFS Award 2025 at SFSCON

The FSFE and LUGBZ have recognized VLC president and core developer with a European award for his long-term dedication to the project. What began as a student initiative has, through his continuous effort, evolved into one of the most widely used media players, with billion of users worldwide.

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), together with the Linux User Group Bolzano‑Bozen (LUGBZ), is proud to recognize Jean-Baptiste Kempf with the European SFS Award 2025, in recognition of his outstanding and lasting contributions to the Free Software movement and his long-term dedication to the VLC project.

Born as a student project in 1996, this software has evolved into an essential, all-in-one media player that plays almost anything effortlessly. Originally a simple network streaming client, it has grown into a powerful universal media player that continues to evolve and impress.

“For many people running non-free operating systems, it was the very first Free Software they ever installed. For many people running Free Software, it saved them from installing and booting into a proprietary operating system”, declared Matthias Kirschner, president of the FSFE during the Award ceremony.

Jean-Baptiste Kempf joined the project as a student, and when it faced the risk of dying after the graduation of its original developers, he took the reins. With the help of other core developers, he transformed it into the indispensable media player we rely on today.

Over the years, Kempf has become not only the president of the VideoLAN non-profit but also one of the lead developers of VLC Media Player and the founder of VideoLabs. “It’s small, fast, friendly, and seems to "understand everything you throw at it. I have always thought of it as "the program that eats everything", said Raphael Barbieri, a member of LUGBZ, during the winner’s announcement.

"I am extremely honoured to receive the European SFS Award. The Free Software multimedia community is quite niche and unknown, but we work hard so that video content can be free, can be played and processed. The work done around the VideoLAN community has been tremendous, despite its little resources. I want to thank the whole VideoLAN and FFmpeg teams, who spend their time on those projects, often with little recognition", declares Jean-Baptiste Kemp.

The European SFS Award

The European SFS Award recognizes individuals whose work has made a significant and sustained difference in advancing Free Software across Europe. Originating in South Tyrol with LUGBZ, and now presented jointly with FSFE since 2023, the award honours those whose efforts strengthen software freedom, community building, and the ethical foundations of technology.

In previous years, the award was given to Frank Karlitschek (2023) for his leadership with Nextcloud, and posthumously to Bram Moolenaar (2024) for creating the Vim editor.

2025 Laudatio

Raphael: There’s a program most of us have used - on laptops, phones, tablets or desktops computers. It might have run on screens in supermarkets or shops. It’s small, fast, friendly, and seems to "understand everything you throw at it". I have always thought of it as "the program that eats everything."

Matthias: This amazing software did not come from a giant technology company with a huge budget. It began more than twenty years ago - as a modest experiment by a few students at an engineering school. They wanted to solve a problem they identified. Nothing fancy - just a student project to tinker, experiment, share, and have fun. No one knew that those first lines of code written for “network 2000” would one day reach billions of users.

Raphael: Like many student projects, it almost faded away when graduation came and the contributors had other priorities. But one young engineer, who had joined the group in 2000, refused to let it die. He reorganised the code, inspired new contributors, and slowly turned a university experiment into a world-class piece of software.

Matthias: He built a healthy community fostering the software. Hundreds of volunteers joined. They contributed by programming, testing, auditing, helping others, with translations, improving the design, or promoting the software. Thereby the community grew and people started using the software on every platform – GNU/Linux and other Unix like operating systems, Windows, Android, or MacOS and iOS. For many people running non-free operating systems, it was the very first Free Software they ever installed. For many people running Free Software, it saved them from installing and booting into a proprietary operating system.

Raphael: With this success our winner was offered tempting deals - big money, advertising, corporate buyouts. Every time, he gently said no. Because it was not about maximising profit. It was about maximising freedom for computer users.

Matthias: To protect that freedom, he later founded a non-profit organisation - so the software would always belong to its community. He also founded a company to support the technical side - keeping development professional while staying true to the values of software freedom. Under his leadership, the initiative has reached billions of downloads, maintained and added amazing features - all without losing its soul.

Raphael: And there’s another thing this community is famous for - its sense of humour. Their symbol? A bright orange-and-white traffic cone. Legend has it that the original students used to collect these cones after late nights out. When it came time to pick a logo, they chose it proudly - a playful symbol of creativity, chaos, and collaboration.

Matthias: Nowadays, that little cone has become an icon you find on a huge amount of computers worldwide. At conferences their contributors wear the cones on their heads with pride as a clear sign of who they are and what they stand for.

Raphael: And the person behind it? He’s not just a brilliant engineer. He’s a leader, a mentor, and a true advocate for software freedom. In 2018, his contributions were honoured with the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite - the first Free Software developer ever to receive that distinction. Yes - a real knight of software freedom.

Matthias: His “Holy Grail” was not fame or fortune - it’s freedom: the freedom for billions of people to watch, listen, and share multimedia files without restrictions or surveillance. He has shown the world that integrity, community, and a bit of humour can change how we experience digital media.

Raphael: Today, we celebrate someone who has made it possible for all of us to enjoy open, universal access to media - and who continues to prove that Free Software is powerful, beautiful, and fun.

Matthias: It is our great pleasure to present the European SFS Award 2025 to the president of the VideoLAN non-profit, one of the lead developers of VLC media player, the founder of VideoLabs, the bearer of the traffic cone, and a true knight of Free Software....

Matthias & Raphael: Jean-Baptiste Kempf!

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