They're trying to control malware. Tying apps that may be malicious to an identity that takes some degree of cost and effort to establish seems sensible in that light.

It's not that the identity prevents malware/abuse, but publishing any malware to the store burns the identity and establishing another is harder than simply coming up with a new email address. It's not necessarily the best scheme out of there, but it makes sense given their apparent goal.

That would be a reasonable argument if it weren't the world's biggest malware vendor doing this.

I'll take some downvotes too. Google software is malware by all definitions of the word. Exfiltration of personal data, unauthorized access and control of personal devices. Data loss when your account gets banned. Deceptive prompts and messaging. They promote SEO spam sites which contain MBs of javascript showing you ads that make them money while you pay for the electricity cost.

They do a lot of other horrible things too, they could expand the definition of malware.

I got you. upvoted.

Remember the spyware and adware from late 90's and 00's? Now it's the norm except for free as in freedom based computers.

I've had a business get listed on DUNS; once you're on it, they resell your data forever.

It’s not just Apple, lots of federal programs in US require a DUNS number.

To be clear, Apple does not require a DUNS number for developer registration.

It does if you have an org account: https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/

Yeah, basically this is the rise of computer-credit agencies.

Youc an see the zeitgeist forming around corporations wanting to lock out any small unlicensed company from working on phones.

The key is mostly fascism in the guise of "security". Witness stuff like the ICE tracker app. Google would love a way to freeze out both it's appearance on the app store and any developer who'd program similar.