Google replaces Git tags with Drive
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Google replaced pushing Git tags for certain source code with obtaining via Google Drive after a Google Forms request. GrapheneOS says this violates GPLv2 and slows access to weeks.
Background
Google has stopped pushing Git tags for certain Android source code, instead requiring developers to request access via Google Forms to download tarballs from Google Drive. GrapheneOS, a security-focused Android distribution, relies on these tags to port and test Android updates in advance. They report that requests that used to be fulfilled within hours now often take weeks, and they argue this practice violates the GPLv2 license obligations.
How it unfolded
- Aug 8, 2026GrapheneOS posts on Mastodon that Google replaced Git tags with Google Drive tarballs via Google Forms, calling it a GPLv2 violation.
- Aug 19, 2026The story is shared on Hacker News, gaining attention.
- Aug 20, 2026Discussion continues on Hacker News and other platforms, with users questioning the practice.
Who’s saying what
- GrapheneOS
- Google's move is ridiculous, violates GPLv2, and unnecessarily slows down access to source code.
- Hacker News
- Some commenters question whether Google Drive is a customary means for software interchange under open-source licenses.
Still unverified
The claim that Google is in clear violation of GPLv2 is GrapheneOS's opinion and has not been legally confirmed.