Is it normal for an Android smart TV to have full access to your Google Account?

by fandelost

EDIT: Thank you all for your answers. If you want to help and have an Android TV device, please check your Google's permissions and let me know if it looks like the screenshots above. I just want to know if every manufacturer uses the same shotgun-approach to connecting your Google Account, or if an alternative exists. Thank you.

OP: I understand it needs some level of access to use the Google Play store, but it looks scary on the permissions page since it's the only third-party app that has full access, the rest are OK with "some account access".

Also YouTube seems to need its own access anyway, and it's pretty much the only Google app I use there.

Does every Android TV look like this? Can I get away with allowing it *less* access to my account? Would a dedicated Android TV box also need full access?

https://preview.redd.it/erdwihe19dv91.png?width=686&format=png&auto=webp&s=5ff14f535f801fb8b9773c229c0438a85307433d

https://preview.redd.it/et614vx39dv91.png?width=672&format=png&auto=webp&s=dd2a4f603558233605ea7bb5b1ce4cfa21fe5f10

EDIT 2: Turns out the device ALSO shows up with a warning in Google's Security Checkup, even though I signed out and removed the third-party app. So, why did a TV need to be both logged in as a device AND have a third-party app with full access, is beyond me.

https://preview.redd.it/qylczajh3jv91.png?width=570&format=png&auto=webp&s=7627b1239f75f03f522edcccfebd3b612da63eab

https://preview.redd.it/sa70ewt74jv91.png?width=566&format=png&auto=webp&s=7be4e57686ccc5c5f9814a2ed33dfc577ca04a0e

Any TCL's Android smart TV owners out there? Your account might be compromised too.

latinriky78

Don't worry, your TV is not going to sneak upon your gmail inbox.

For privacy reasons there isn't a Google Chrome, Gmail, Drive and photos apps on Android TV and you can't read your Gmail inbox with the Google assistant either but you can watch your photos with the assistant, though it's easy to turn off using the Google Home app.

Google already has full access to your Google account so...

For any other concerns don't hesitate to ask.

harjon456

Yes.. It's an Android smart TV

ronnygiga

Use a account for the house, that changed my life...

Deadpool-fan-466

I checked my "permissions" page, and it does not look like yours.

Your TV shouldn't show up under "third-party apps" in the first place, nor it should have "full access" to your account.

In my account, third party apps only have access to certain Google apps e.g. games have access to Google play games, Whatsapp have access to Google Drive etc.

You need to check "your devices" page.

pawdog

If you have concerns create an account that you only use on your TV.

fandelost

Thank you all for your answers. If you want to help and have an Android TV device, please check your Google's permissions and let me know if it looks like the screenshots above.

I just want to know if every manufacturer uses the same shotgun-approach to connecting your Google Account, or if an alternative exists. Thank you.