Google unilaterally decreed that Android developers everywhere in the world are going to be required to register centrally with Google.
Google will also require the uploading of personally identifying documents, including government ID, by the authors of the software, as well as enumerating all the unique “application identifiers” for every app that is to be distributed by the registered developer
I read through most of the discussion about it on HN and I don't there was a single positive comment about this move by Google. In short, nobody seems to like this.
I wonder how developers who work at Google feel about it. It seems like another solid step down the road to a kyc'd internet, to me.
It reminds me of that scene from the original Matrix where Mr Anderson has met Agent Smith for the first time and he says with attitude: "How about I give you the finger, and you give me my phone call."
Agent Smith responds: " What good is a phone call if you cannot speak?" And proceeds to melt Mr Anderson's mouth shut.
One of these days, we are going to demand our freedom of speech and the government is going to reply, "What good is freedom of speech, if you have to use the software we select for you?"
Here's an ArsTechnica article if you'd like to learn a little more about it.