Google faces backlash after copying mobile-use

Stripping attribution from open-source projects isn't just a breach of etiquette—it is a direct violation of the Apache 2.0 license that highlights how Big Tech often treats community code as free labor without accountability.

• –Egregious duplication: Copying 228 out of 229 files verbatim, including custom agent prompts and variable names, demonstrates blatant repackaging rather than independent implementation.
• –License breach: Apache 2.0 permits commercial reuse but strictly mandates preserving copyright notices and NOTICE file attributions; deliberately replacing author names undermines legal licensing terms.
• –Damaging optics: After being outperformed on their own AndroidWorld benchmark, Google developers scrubbing indie contributor credits inflicts serious reputational harm on their open-source standing.
• –Power of public accountability: The controversy illustrates that developer community visibility across Reddit and Hacker News remains the most potent enforcement tool indie founders have against corporate appropriation.