Android on a TV, what could possibly go wrong, right? Turns out, your personal photos might end up as a screensaver on someone else’s screen.
Scary as it may sound, that’s the latest bug concerning Google’s Android TV team, and this privacy issue has a lot to do with linking of multiple accounts from other devices.
Thankfully, the photos don’t actually open on stranger’s screen, but a fix is more or less warranted, and Google claims they are working to make it right.
The issue, first reported by a VU TV user in India got a quick response from Google India, who officially confirmed that photo sharing on Android TV was temporarily put on hold, till the issue was resolved.
The user named Prashanth while trying to access his Vu Android TV through the Home app, and browsing through the accounts linked with the device, it was strangely showing account details of everyone who owns the same model of TV.
Looking at this on the screen, he decided to reset the television, which made sure that photos from none of the accounts linked, including his, were visible.
This could have either been the fault from the TV manufacturer or Google, but after looking at its end, this report says that Google officially admitted that the Google Home app was causing this privacy mishap.
Android has posed issues on mobile quite a few times, but the news of Android TV facing similar problems needs to be taken seriously by Google.
Linking accounts to every device has become part and parcel of how convergence of a platform takes place and it’s imperative that all precautions are taken, so as to keep a user and his/her data safe from misuse by landing up on stranger’s device. Also, speaking about TV brands, they just can’t take a backseat when a product is launched and sold. After sales service support should also include providing timely software updates.
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