Editing Android (section)

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this software. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Data collection===
{{Main|Android Data Collection}}
Android mobile devices, even when minimally configured, collect and share extensive user data with Google and provide few options for opting-out, raising privacy concerns. Settings for opting-out of sharing data with Google are generally hard to find, requiring users to search the device's settings and Google's settings to locate and toggle the settings on/off. The data shared with Google is sensitive user data including call logs, messages, data recorded from the device's microphone and camera, and more. This data is used by Google to improve the targeting of personalized advertisements and as training data for [[Google Gemini]].

===Android System Safety Core silent install===
{{Main|Android System SafetyCore}}
On January 22, 2025, Google quietly rolled out Android System SafetyCore to all Android devices. The installation of the program neither informed consumers that it was installed, nor did it request consumers to install it onto their devices.

===OEM Locked Bootloaders===
{{Main|Motorola}}
In North America, many Android devices like phones or tablets will not allow consumers to unlock and do what they want to modify the software. Therefore, it has been incredibly difficult and nearly impossible to root and install custom ROMs on the device unless an exploit has been found. 

===Blocking third-party programs===
{{Main|Google blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps}}
Starting at September 2026, third-party apps will no longer be able to install on a unmodified Android in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand without "verified identities"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitwam |first=Ryan |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250826032858/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/ |archive-date=26 Aug 2025 |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=ArsTechnica}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google's plan to end sideloading on Android |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/googles-plan-to-end-sideloading-on-android.4756353/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250826161809/https://xdaforums.com/t/googles-plan-to-end-sideloading-on-android.4756353/ |archive-date=26 Aug 2025 |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=XdaForums}}</ref>. The affected regions will expand globally in 2027. Devices without Google Mobile Service (GMS) or running a third-party ROM won't be affected. However it's hard for users to bypass/spoof [[Google Play Integrity API|Google Play Integrity]] to hide their ROM or root status to use utility apps such as most of banking apps<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 Apr 2022 |title=[Discussion] The root-and-mod-hiding/fingerprint-spoofing/keybox-stealing cat-and-mouse game |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/discussion-the-root-and-mod-hiding-fingerprint-spoofing-keybox-stealing-cat-and-mouse-game.4425939/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823095950/https://xdaforums.com/t/discussion-the-root-and-mod-hiding-fingerprint-spoofing-keybox-stealing-cat-and-mouse-game.4425939/ |archive-date=23 Aug 2025 |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=XdaForums}}</ref>. 

===Android Cast restricted to Google -signed receivers===
In Android, streaming over network is referred as "Casting". In Android 4.4 Miracast support was introduced. Miracast is an open standard by the Wi-Fi -alliance which makes it possible to stream screen contents as well as high quality multichannel audio over wireless networks. 

In Android 9, Miracast was fully replaced with proprietrary Chromecast -protocol. Chromecast protocol includes signing key verification of both the Cast source and receiver device, meaning that since Android 9 it is no longer possible to cast high quality content to receivers which aren't signed by Google. This means that unlike AirPlay on Apple devices, there's no way to stream multichannel Hi-Fi audio on Android unless the receiver has a valid vendor signature.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiske |first=Christian |date=2025-08-31 |title=Android/Lineage OS and Screen mirroring ("Cast") |url=https://p.cweiske.de/669 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250831142415/https://p.cweiske.de/669 |archive-date=2025-08-31 |access-date=2025-08-31}}</ref>