Kubuntu: Unable to connect Google account: (This app is blocked This app tried to access sensitive info in your Google Account.)

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1

Hello,

I am new to using Kubuntu, but very familiar with Ubuntu. When I try connecting my Google account using ‘Online Accounts’, it says" This app is blocked, This app tried to access sensitive info in your Google Account." and doesn’t let me connect. I tried many times and still no luck. Do you know what could be the issue?

Thank you


Operating System: Kubuntu 24.04
KDE Plasma Version: 5.27.12
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.115.0
Qt Version: 5.15.13
Kernel Version: 6.8.0-53-generic (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: X11
Processors: 24 × 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-13700F
Memory: 31.1 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti/PCIe/SSE2
Manufacturer: ASRock
Product Name: B760M-C R2.0
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Hi! To paraphrase @ngraham 's detailing out of the situation in comments on the following bug report: 480779 – Can not add Google to Online Accounts anymore using a recent version of signon-ui

Google controls whether entities can use the APIs for their tools. Back in June 2024, they blocked the KDE API key from accessing Google Drive because KDE developers couldn’t justify continued access to Google’s satisfaction. Because that Drive permission has been blocked by Google, attempts to sign in with a Google Account that include a request for Drive access are also being blocked.

The ultimate fix would be for some folks who both deeply care about Google Drive integration in KDE software, and who have the time, energy, and interest to:

  • Engage with Google to prove the security of the KDE client implementation
  • Repeat that process when they demand annual recertification
  • Adapt that process when they randomly change the requirements

Since that hasn’t happened, the interim fix described in that bug report is to at least remove the attempt by the KDE Online Accounts feature to get Drive access when signing in to a Google account, so that the remaining features can still be used.

Please note, though, that LTS distributions like Kubuntu 24.04 do not typically package new upstream software versions. It may be necessary to get with the Kubuntu maintainers to see if they can backport the changes that would allow the rest of the Google account functionality to work in that OS version.

3

Thank you for your detailed reply.

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