Church Apps Need Google? Ethical Concerns

I am a casual member of the church who is deeply involved and passionate on the subjects of security, privacy, and free software (free as in freedom).

Being on a de-Googled Android Phone, I don't have access to, nor do I want, Google Play Services and Google Play Store on my phone. However, being in the Church, I would like to have access to Church affiliated apps.

The official Church apps are only published on the Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. However, my deliberate opt out with Google has faced me with challenges in the Church, specifically in getting and using the apps.

I, as a person who values freedom and choice (agency), shouldn't be forced to use Google to simply have the convenient apps over the webapps. And this goes for everyone who have similar values.

The fix is very simple and easy; It is to simply provide the apps as official .apk files for both typical Android Phones and de-Googled Android Phones. APK files are downloadable apps in the form of files instead of app stores.

If the Church were to provide this option for me and others, it would greatly improve our involvement and inclusion being on a de-Googled phone.

If you can direct me to contacting Church administration or providing other relative contacts so that I may communicate this issue, that would be very helpful!

There are two methods for sending concerns to where decisions are made. One is to use the Feedback link or button. The other is to ask your stake president to raise the concern up his chain of command.

I have a similar difficulty because I choose to not spend hundreds of dollars per year on a fancy cell phone. I'm currently serving in a calling that is eligible for Kindoo access to the building. My 4G flip-type cell phone claims it runs Android. However, it's slow and difficult enough to switch keypad input methods (lowercase, uppercase, digits, symbols) that it would be an exercise in futility for me to try to enter my Google password before the page timed out.

Just to give you a couple of datapoints, when clerk computers are being changed, they are changed to Chromebook, which is part of Google.

I believe the missionary email system is a branded version of GMail.

But more importantly, the question is how many members would use the download given the limited resources the church has for admin and development. Features have disappeared in the past because of insufficient use to justify keeping them.

russellhltn wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2026 7:13 pm Just to give you a couple of datapoints, when clerk computers are being changed, they are changed to Chromebook, which is part of Google.

That's quite unfortunate.

russellhltn wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2026 7:13 pm I believe the missionary email system is a branded version of GMail.

You're belief is confirmed:
It would be nice if the Church provided it's own internal (and I don't mean hosted with Google or O365) email communication tooling for missionaries, or barring that, allow missionaries the freedom to use whatever email communication technology they are comfortable with. Or other communication technologies (like Matrix) that have better security and privacy than the approved technologies. I know that senior missionaries have a little more flexibility in this regard, but I don't see why that shouldn't be extended to others.

But more importantly, the question is how many members would use the download

"if it so be that you ... bring ... one soul unto me" seems to be echoing in my head.