Google's new remote attestation scheme is every bit as terrible as its old remote attestation scheme
Google is testing a system called reCAPTCHA Mobile Verification that would allow companies to block users running independent, privacy-focused versions of Android. The scheme is an extension of earlier remote attestation efforts that let services verify whether a device runs Google-approved software.
Why this matters: People who run de-Googled Android do so precisely to escape tracking and advertising. This system would let companies punish them for that choice by simply refusing to work. It turns access to ordinary services into a reward for compliance with Google's software stack. That is a significant amount of leverage for one company to hold over how the open web functions. The web became useful because no one could demand you use a specific browser or operating system. Google is working to change that, quietly, one attestation check at a time.
Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy · Privacy officers
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