I have read all that and more. I’m not a new F-DROID user.
The ask is very simple: undo your changes, keep the apps public, and if you must, tag them with a neutral, non-filtering label like “Religious Texts.” What you’ve done is not tagging, it’s outright censorship and unnecessary moral policing.
It is not your role to act as moral police over texts that are legal everywhere, taught to children, and distributed openly across the globe. If you want to block ■■■■, do it. That’s legally restricted.
I read the MR on the Quran. What I saw was a decision to effectively ban all Quran apps because someone cherry-picked quotes used by Islamophobes, and the team just went along with it. That means any biased bigoted person with zero theological or historical literacy can manipulate your process and you’ll rubber-stamp it. That’s already low-effort moderation.
…Google is building a choke point that restricts competition and limits user freedom. It must find a solution which preserves user rights, freedom of choice, and a healthy, competitive ecosystem.
…but the principle that software should remain a commons, accessible and free from unnecessary corporate gatekeeping.
You claim to stand against corporate gatekeeping, yet you’ve imported censorship straight into F-DROID. You’re building the same choke points you pretend to oppose. And the worst part? You’re too blinded by your own prejudice to see it.
It’s tragic that F-DROID is becoming the very thing it swore to destroy. You’re not protecting anyone. You’re blinded by bias, and you’ve chosen to die on this hill. The court of public opinion is heavily against this (See HackerNew, Twitter e.t.c.) yet you refuse to budge.
I hope you are backed by the board (@seabass and co.) because this is a PR and potentially legal nightmare you folks are walking F-DROID into.
Edit:
Already violating principle 4? Not looking so good.