A Twitter user claims an Android TV allowed access to other users' Google Photos data

Android TVs can be controlled using the Google Home app on a connected phone. Recently, a user of this set-up may have identified a serious bug in the arrangement. This individual, known as @wothadei on Twitter, made an alarming claim via the social media platform: his app allowed him to see all the other users of an Android TV he was connected to.

This user posted what appears to be a screen recording of this potential bug in the Android TV/Google Home interface. It clearly shows that a (quite lengthy) list of other Google account names appeared as a result of pressing Linked Accounts under Device Settings in the app. @wothadei also posted a second recording that appeared to depict what happened when the option Ambient Mode under the same settings was selected. Once the radio button for Google Photos was toggled on in this Mode, it appeared that the user had the ability to display each users' images as a slideshow on the TV.

This device was a screen sold under the brand-name Vu. As @wothadei tagged Google and Google India in his tweets on the subject, the company has not hesitated to respond. So far, it has stated that it has temporarily rescinded the app options in question (which are to "to remotely cast via the Google Assistant or view photos from Google Photos on Android TV devices") while they investigate the problem. It also should be noted that the ability to see other linked accounts or add their Google Photo data to Ambient Mode also disappeared in response to a reset of the TV in question.