Unauthorized screencasting and device connection

[Pangolin50]

I don't remember ever connecting my phone to a TV for screen mirroring except the one at home. I got a notification that someone was using YouTube and screencasting my phone. I can't figure out how to disconnect from the unauthorized TV and this is a serious security concern. So far I've been able to view the device with the Google Home app, change their volume, pause and fast forward their youtube screen, and temporarily stop a screencast, to which they renamed their TV device as "**bleep** off". Help and solutions would be very much appreciated.

[Aiden1 · Accepted solution]

What kind of WiFi connection were you on when this happened?  To be able to control a TV in general you have to both be on the same WiFi network.  When I'm at my parents place, I get a weird pop-up from my Google Home app that their Sony Bravia Tv is being watched because it runs Google.  My account isn't linked to it but I still see it because I'm on their WiFi.  If the people who own that TV didn't set a particular setting correctly, others on the same WiFi network get notified every single time the TV is in use.  

There are various settings for Chromecast and TV's.

Mine is set to never for this, but they may have it set to something else.  I don't know if that's the issue here but it's possible.

An example of what I'm referring to is attached for clarity of the setting I'm talking about.

 From what you've described, it sounds like the intruder might well actually be you, through no fault of your own due to the other person not understanding the privacy settings of their device.  One thing I would do is check your YouTube account to make sure it was actually in use during the time the casting was happening but from what you've described, it sounds like an incorrect setting on a device with shared WiFi.  There's little you can do about that unless you know the owner of the device in question.  I don't know of a way to stop those devices from showing up when they are on the same WiFi network.  

It's something Google really needs to spend time working on fixing.

[Dan_A]

Hi folks,

@Aiden1, thank you so much for the assistance and the explanation.

@Pangolin50, that certainly hasn't been easy for you ― what Google Home/Nest device and Chromecast do you have? Have you checked the settings in which @Aiden1 has shown above? If not yet, please check it out. Also, I would like you to visit this link. You can check the home members added to your Google Home if there are any. 

Keep me posted.

Best,

Dan

[Aiden1]

This sort of thing happens a lot in places where there's community Wifi like apartments where it's included in rent or at hotels when guests bring their Chromecast device from home and forget to change the settings before hooking it up.  Can be a really big inconvenience for people thinking it's their account/phone being used when it's the other device.

[Dan_A]

Hi there,

@Aiden1, that's right! I appreciate the input.

@Pangolin50, I wanted to follow up and see if you are still in need of any help. Have you had the chance to try the suggestion above? If yes, how is it?

Thanks,

Dan

[Dan_A]

Hello again,

I wanted to follow up and see if you still need assistance. Please let me know if you are still having any concerns or questions from here, as I would be happy to take a closer look and assist you further.

Regards,

Dan

[Jeran]

Hey Pangolin50,

Do you have any more questions that we can address? If not, I'll go ahead and lock up this thread in 24 hours.

Just checking up,
Jeran