JodyBruchonFan (talk | contribs)
User Freedom: screenshot blocking: You can only screenshot when your big tech overlords graciously let you do it.
Linka (talk | contribs)
updated some refs and added others
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Google has a long history of patronizing their user base by taking away options or not giving users a choice in the first place.
Google has a long history of patronizing their user base by taking away options or not giving users a choice in the first place.


For example, in 2014, Google removed normal MicroSD write access on Android 4.4, limiting each application to their own dedicated folder, arguing that this makes it easy to remove all files left by the app during uninstallation, given that no app can leave files outside their own dedicated folder.
For example, in 2014, Google removed normal MicroSD write access on Android 4.4<ref>{{cite news |first=Cody |last=Toombs |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2014/02/17/external-blues-google-has-brought-big-changes-to-sd-cards-in-kitkat-and-even-samsung-may-be-implementing-them/ |title=External Blues: Google Has Brought Big Changes To SD Cards In KitKat, And Even Samsung Is Implementing Them |url-status=live |date=17 Feb 2014 |url-status=live |website=Android Police |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218064033/https://www.androidpolice.com/2014/02/17/external-blues-google-has-brought-big-changes-to-sd-cards-in-kitkat-and-even-samsung-may-be-implementing-them/ |archive-date=2014-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/g/android-platform/c/14VUiIgwUjY/m/UsxMYwu02z0J |date=23 Feb 2014 |title=Re: What about removable SD card in 4.4 |website=Google Groups |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209114224/https://groups.google.com/g/android-platform/c/14VUiIgwUjY/m/UsxMYwu02z0J |archive-date=2026-02-09 }}</ref>, limiting each application to their own dedicated folder, arguing that this makes it easy to remove all files left by the app during uninstallation, given that no app can leave files outside their own dedicated folder.


No menu option to change this behaviour was given to the user, therefore users who wanted to restore normal write access were forced to resort to unofficial methods involving bootloader unlocking and rooting.
No menu option to change this behaviour was given to the user, therefore users who wanted to restore normal write access were forced to resort to unofficial methods involving bootloader unlocking and rooting.
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In 2019, Google took away the ability to turn off the "pull-to-refresh" gesture on the mobile edition of their Chrome web browser, following by refusing to reinstate the option after an abnormally high number of complaints that the gesture causes accidental refreshes. See [[Google_Chrome#Mandatory_pull-to-refresh|Google Chrome § Mandatory pull-to-refresh]].
In 2019, Google took away the ability to turn off the "pull-to-refresh" gesture on the mobile edition of their Chrome web browser, following by refusing to reinstate the option after an abnormally high number of complaints that the gesture causes accidental refreshes. See [[Google_Chrome#Mandatory_pull-to-refresh|Google Chrome § Mandatory pull-to-refresh]].


Google lets app developers arbitrarily [[screenshot blocking|prevent device owners from capturing screenshots and screen recordings]] on Android. While the original intention was to prevent sensitive information in banking apps from getting outside, it has been severely overused by app developers and prevents legitimate uses such as asking for help in forums and bug reports. Google provided no option for device owners to override it, so the only way is to unlock the bootloader and modify the operating system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/why-screenshots-dont-always-work-especially-in-secure-apps/ |website=How To Geek |author=Faisal Rasool |title=Why Your Phone Blocks Screenshots in Secure Apps |date=2025-08-23 |access-date=2026-05-26 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/f3xk35/bookingcom_app_disallow_to_take_screenshot_can_i/ |website=Reddit |title=Booking.com app disallow to take screenshot, can I bypass this? |date=2020-02-14 |access-date=2026-05-26 }}</ref>
Google lets app developers arbitrarily [[screenshot blocking|prevent device owners from capturing screenshots and screen recordings]] on Android. While the original intention was to prevent sensitive information in banking apps from getting outside, it has been severely overused by app developers and prevents legitimate uses such as asking for help in forums and bug reports. Google provided no option for device owners to override it, so the only way is to unlock the bootloader and modify the operating system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/why-screenshots-dont-always-work-especially-in-secure-apps/ |website=How To Geek |author=Faisal Rasool |title=Why Your Phone Blocks Screenshots in Secure Apps |date=2025-08-23 |access-date=2026-05-26 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=konradkar |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/f3xk35/bookingcom_app_disallow_to_take_screenshot_can_i/ |website=[[Reddit]] |title=Booking.com app disallow to take screenshot, can I bypass this? |date=2020-02-14 |access-date=2026-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615071612/https://old.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/f3xk35/bookingcom_app_disallow_to_take_screenshot_can_i/ |archive-date=2023-06-15}}</ref>


In 2025, Google announced their [[Android Developer Verification]] program, which if executed will make it impossible to run apps by developers not personally identified and approved by Google.
In 2025, Google announced their [[Android Developer Verification]] program, which if executed will make it impossible to run apps by developers not personally identified and approved by Google.
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==Controversies==
==Controversies==
===Account lockouts===
===Account lockouts===
Google has been reported to have randomly locked people out of their accounts due to ostensible security reasons, which are not lifted even if the user had provided the correct credentials and/or even if the user have correctly followed all the verification prompts such as SMS verification. These have caused anguishes for many affected users who are unable to access their contents, emails and services as a result. Furthermore, some had reported that they are forced to undergo SMS verification even when recovery email addresses are already configured to their accounts, thereby likely constituting instances of [[Forced identification|forced verification]] in broad senses.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210505101632/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210805030048/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20230720181226/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ Archived])</ref>
Google has been reported to have randomly locked people out of their accounts due to ostensible security reasons, which are not lifted even if the user had provided the correct credentials and/or even if the user have correctly followed all the verification prompts such as SMS verification. These have caused anguishes for many affected users who are unable to access their contents, emails and services as a result. Furthermore, some had reported that they are forced to undergo SMS verification even when recovery email addresses are already configured to their accounts, thereby likely constituting instances of [[Forced identification|forced verification]] in broad senses.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ |date=5 May 2021 |author=Feniks_Gaming |title=Mike Rose (No More Robots Publisher) Locked out of Gmail, speaks to google support to find out their own staff are locked out of their personal Gmail too... |url-status=live |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210505101632/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ |archive-date=2021-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nitter.dark.fail/RaveofRavendale/status/1389507928269393921 |first=Mike |last=Rose |url-status=dead |date=4 May 2021 |title=This morning, I was locked out of my Google account |website=Nitter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908195211/https://nitter.dark.fail/RaveofRavendale/status/1389507928269393921 |archive-date=2022-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=FYI: Google can lock you out of your account for no reason |author=danielrosehill |date=5 Aug 2021 |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ |url-status=live |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210805030048/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ |archive-date=2021-08-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=LegitimateAttempt4 |date=20 Jul 2023 |title=DAE noticed that Google had taken security account lockouts to a zealotic level? |url-status=live |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230720181226/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ |archive-date=2023-07-20}}</ref>


===Deletion of inactive accounts===
===Deletion of inactive accounts===
In May 2023, Google announced that [[Inactive account deletion|deletion of inactive user accounts]] would occur starting in December 2023, citing security reasons, noting that old and unused accounts are more likely to be compromised. Google claimed that "Forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, have not had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user," while saying that Google "has no plans to delete [[YouTube]] videos".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=Google might delete your Gmail account if you haven't logged in for two years |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205121216/https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |title=Reminder: Google is about to start purging inactive accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212230239/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Amadeo |first1=Ron |title=Google's new "inactive account" policy won't delete years of YouTube videos |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en-us |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212092014/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref> The decision to delete inactive accounts has sparked some criticism and backlash. The cited security rationale behind such decision was ridiculed and was compared to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novet |first1=Jordan |title=Google's plan to purge inactive accounts isn't sitting well with some users |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |website=CNBC |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date
In May 2023, Google announced that [[Inactive account deletion|deletion of inactive user accounts]] would occur starting in December 2023, citing security reasons, noting that old and unused accounts are more likely to be compromised. Google claimed that "Forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, have not had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user," while saying that Google "has no plans to delete [[YouTube]] videos".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=Google might delete your Gmail account if you haven't logged in for two years |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205121216/https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |title=Reminder: Google is about to start purging inactive accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212230239/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Amadeo |first1=Ron |title=Google's new "inactive account" policy won't delete years of YouTube videos |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en-us |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212092014/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref> The decision to delete inactive accounts has sparked some criticism and backlash. The cited security rationale behind such decision was ridiculed and was compared to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novet |first1=Jordan |title=Google's plan to purge inactive accounts isn't sitting well with some users |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |website=CNBC |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date
=19 August 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=31 Aug 2025}}</ref> Such policies could adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time, such as hospitalization, prison incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries which have prolonged internet shutdowns. Moreover, the Anonymous hacktivist collective has protested against the decision to delete inactive accounts multiple times, describing them as "harsh" and saying that the decision will "destroy history".<ref>{{cite web |date=18 July 2023 |title=Anonymous puts Taiwan flag, national anthem on 2 UN websites {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-07-18 09:56:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20231014070719/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 Archived])</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=18 October 2023 |title='Anonymous' hacks Chinese government site to protest Israel–Hamas war {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-10-18 19:03:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20240221120716/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 Archived])</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 December 2023 |title=Anonymous posts Taiwan flag on UN site {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-12-08 17:26:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20240228035811/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 Archived])</ref>
=19 August 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=31 Aug 2025}}</ref> Such policies could adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time, such as hospitalization, prison incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries which have prolonged internet shutdowns. Moreover, the Anonymous hacktivist collective has protested against the decision to delete inactive accounts multiple times, describing them as "harsh" and saying that the decision will "destroy history".<ref>{{cite web |date=18 Jul 2023 |title=Anonymous puts Taiwan flag, national anthem on 2 UN websites |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 |first=Keoni |last=Everington |url-status=live |access-date=21 Dec 2023 |website=Taiwan News |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231014070719/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 |archive-date=2023-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Keoni |last=Everington |date=18 Oct 2023 |title='Anonymous' hacks Chinese government site to protest Israel–Hamas war |url-status=live |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240221120716/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 |archive-date=2024-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Keoni |last=Everington |date=8 Dec 2023 |title=Anonymous posts Taiwan flag on UN site |website=Taiwan News |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 |url-status=live |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240228035811/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 |archive-date=2024-02-28}}</ref>


===Anticompetitive practices===
===Anticompetitive practices===
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===Ban on third-party tech support ads===
===Ban on third-party tech support ads===
Google prohibits tech support ads on their platform if they are not authorised by the manufacturer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graff |first=David |date=31 Aug 2018 |title=Restricting ads in third-party tech support services |url=https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |website=Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251112170608/https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |archive-date=12 Nov 2025}}</ref>
Google prohibits tech support ads on their platform if they are not authorized by the manufacturer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graff |first=David |date=31 Aug 2018 |title=Restricting ads in third-party tech support services |url=https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |website=Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251112170608/https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |archive-date=12 Nov 2025}}</ref>


===The chargeback incident===
===The chargeback incident===
In November 2022, a Google customer accidentally purchased two Google Pixel smartphones instead of one, directly from Google (no third-party reseller), and tried to return one package to Google for a refund, but the shipping was unsuccessful.
In November 2022, a Google customer accidentally purchased two Google Pixel smartphones instead of one, directly from Google (no third-party reseller), and tried to return one package to Google for a refund, but the shipping was unsuccessful.


A Google customer support person suggested the customer to perform a chargeback. The customer acted accordingly without understanding the implications, resulting in the termination of their Google account shortly after. The account was 15 years old at that time.<ref>[https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned DANGER!!!: Chargeback = ACCOUNT PERMANENTLY BANNED. - Virtual curiosities] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260205120523/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned Archived])</ref><ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ TIFU by accidentally buying two Google Pixels and ended up getting my 15 year old Google Account permanently banned. - Reddit] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260113140546/https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ Archived])</ref>
A Google customer support person suggested the customer to perform a chargeback. The customer acted accordingly without understanding the implications, resulting in the termination of their Google account shortly after. The account was 15 years old at that time.<ref>{{cite web |first=Noel |last=Santos |website=Virtual Curiosities |date=8 Dec 2024 |url=https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned |url-status=live |title=DANGER!!!: Chargeback = ACCOUNT PERMANENTLY BANNED |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205120523/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned |archive-date=2026-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=justAnotherLedditor |date=16 Dec 2022 |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ |url-status=live |title=TIFU by accidentally buying two Google Pixels and ended up getting my 15 year old Google Account permanently banned. |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113140546/https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ |archive-date=2026-01-13</ref>


===AI integrations in Google Search===
===AI integrations in Google Search===
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===User freedom incidents===
===User freedom incidents===
====Banning domain-blockers from Play Store (2013)====
====Banning domain-blockers from Play Store (2013)====
Since 2013, Google has taken down all apps on G-Play that can block connections to arbitrary [[wikipedia:Domain_Name_System|domain-names]] via [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/vpn the official VPN API], most of those apps being marketed as ad-blockers.<ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/</ref> This forced apps such as AdGuard and NetGuard to distribute their ad-blocking features elsewhere.<ref>https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L6</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L106</ref>
Since 2013, Google has taken down all apps on G-Play that can block connections to arbitrary [[wikipedia:Domain_Name_System|domain-names]] via [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/vpn the official VPN API], most of those apps being marketed as ad-blockers.<ref>{{ cite news |first=Liam |last=Tung |date=14 Mar 2013 |website=ZDNET |title=Google kicks ad-blocker apps off Play store |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150625111914/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/ |archive-date=2015-06-25}}</ref> This forced apps such as AdGuard and NetGuard to distribute their ad-blocking features elsewhere.<ref>{{cite web |first=Ekaterina |last=Kachalova |title=Why is AdGuard not on Google Play? |date=17 Aug 2023 |website=AdGuard |url=https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822100645/https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html |archive-date=2023-08-22}}</ref><ref name="netguard">{{cite web |author=NetGuard |website=[[GitHub]] |title=NetGuard/ADBLOCKING.md |url=https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md |archive-date=2026-03-29}}</ref>
<blockquote>
*Line 6: ad blocking is not possible with the Play store version because Google does not allow ad blocking apps in the Play store<ref name="netguard" />
*Line 106: Please do not mention this feature in Google Play store comments, since Google does not allow ad blocking applications in the Google Play store.<ref name="netguard" />
</blockquote>


Google cites their own Developer Distribution Agreement (terms of service for devs), claiming that those apps are "disruptive", as if to imply hacking or cracking. Many people claim that's an invalid excuse, and that the ulterior motive was to increase ad-revenue.
Google cites their own Developer Distribution Agreement (terms of service for devs), claiming that those apps are "disruptive", as if to imply hacking or cracking. Many people claim that's an invalid excuse, and that the ulterior motive was to increase ad-revenue.


====Phone number requirement for new accounts (2020)====
====Phone number requirement for new accounts (2020)====
Since 2020, Google has increasingly forced users to verify phone-numbers via SMS during account registration,<ref>https://support.google.com/accounts/thread/34403939/cannot-create-a-new-google-account-it-is-requiring-a-phone-number-forced-phone-verification</ref><ref>https://reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oanh2p/does_google_now_require_a_phone_number_to_make/</ref> in an effort to "mitigate spam, bot activity, and account abuse"<ref>{{Cite web |author=CLRN |date=2025-07-25 |title=How to skip phone verification while creating Gmail account? |url=https://www.clrn.org/how-to-skip-phone-verification-while-creating-gmail-account/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=California Learning Resource Network}}</ref>. They have a system that immediately detects reuse of numbers, so no accounts can have the same associated number.{{Citation needed}} This, paired with [[YouTube#Forced sign-in|YouTube's sign-in requirement]], makes it impossible for users to share a single "guest" account, as is typically the case for families sharing a smart TV.
Since 2020, Google has increasingly forced users to verify phone-numbers via SMS during account registration,<ref>{{cite web |website=Google Support |url=https://support.google.com/accounts/thread/34403939/cannot-create-a-new-google-account-it-is-requiring-a-phone-number-forced-phone-verification |date=20 Mar 2020 |title=Cannot create a new Google account, it is requiring a phone number (Forced phone verification) |author=FB3 Network |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260509050746/https://support.google.com/accounts/thread/34403939/cannot-create-a-new-google-account-it-is-requiring-a-phone-number-forced-phone-verification |archive-date=2026-05-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=DarknessMoonlight |date=30 Jun 2021 |title=Does Google now require a phone number to make new Gmail accounts? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oanh2p/does_google_now_require_a_phone_number_to_make/ |url-status=live |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427144651/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oanh2p/does_google_now_require_a_phone_number_to_make/ |archive-date=2026-04-27}}</ref> in an effort to "mitigate spam, bot activity, and account abuse"<ref>{{Cite web |author=CLRN |date=2025-07-25 |title=How to skip phone verification while creating Gmail account? |url=https://www.clrn.org/how-to-skip-phone-verification-while-creating-gmail-account/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=California Learning Resource Network}}</ref>. They have a system that immediately detects reuse of numbers, so no accounts can have the same associated number.{{Citation needed}} This, paired with [[YouTube#Forced sign-in|YouTube's sign-in requirement]], makes it impossible for users to share a single "guest" account, as is typically the case for families sharing a smart TV.


====Blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps (Aug 2025)====
====Blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps (Aug 2025)====