Android: Europe wants to force Google to let you uninstall the AI

On June 15, the FSFE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to defending free software in Europe, submitted a formal contribution as part of the European Commission’s public consultation.Concerning Android’s interoperability obligations under Article 6(7) of the DMA, this initiative aims to push Brussels to impose strict rules on Google, particularly regarding oversight of preinstalled AI tools.

Google called out for automatically downloading AI components

In May last year, we explained that a researcher had found that Google Chrome was automatically downloading and installing Gemini Nano, a local AI model of around 4 GB, in the background on some PCs. The problem is as follows: Google neither displayed a warning nor informed the people concerned about the installation of the file. In addition, Chrome automatically re-downloaded the file every time the browser was restarted, even after it had been deleted. The researcher also believed that such a practice could run afoul of EU law, notably the GDPR and the ePrivacy rules.

This is precisely what the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is calling for: the downloading of AI components without consumers’ consent, not on PCs, but on Android. Based on the Digital Market Act (DMA), the association is calling on the European Union to permanently remove preloaded AI components from Android and to prevent Google from subsequently re-downloading the deleted components without explicit consent. Users could thereby reclaim storage space while having their consent respected.

The FSFE calls for an end to identity verification for all Android developers

In parallel with the point mentioned above, the FSFE believes that improvements must be made within the Android Open Source Project to prevent Google from circumventing the DMA. The organization therefore calls for blocking a new company program that seeks to make identity verification mandatory for all Android developers, even in order to publish applications on alternative platforms. The association’s aim is to enable third-party publishers to benefit from the operating system’s interoperability options free of charge. This means being free of any contractual obligation to Google, the need to create a user account, or mandatory distribution via the Play Store.

This program has sparked controversy because it requires developers to sign a contract with Google, pay account fees, and disclose their identity. The FSFE explains: “Such measures are particularly problematic for free software developers who have deliberately chosen to operate outside Google’s ecosystem, or for developers subject to undemocratic activities in Europe and other countries, where registering their identity with a private company could expose them to risks of surveillance and retaliation.” The European Union has until July 27 to respond to the FSFE’s complaints.If non-compliance with the DMA is established, Google could face a fine equivalent to 10% of its global revenue.

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Source: FSFE