YouTube confirms it is cracking down on VPN users accessing cheaper Premium plans

YouTube is taking a strict stance against users of its Premium service who attempt to use virtual private networks (VPNs) to access cheaper subscription prices in other countries. This crackdown has resulted in the cancellation of Premium plans for users found to be using VPNs to circumvent regional pricing.

Reports surfaced on Reddit where users expressed frustration after their YouTube Premium plans were canceled due to VPN usage. VPNs allow users to mask their IP addresses and appear as if they are accessing the internet from a different geographic location, potentially enabling them to subscribe to YouTube Premium at lower rates available in other countries.

A YouTube spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the platform has systems in place to detect when a subscriber’s signup country does not match their actual location when accessing YouTube. When discrepancies are detected, users are prompted to update their billing information to reflect their current country of residence. This is aimed at ensuring users are paying the appropriate subscription rate based on their location.

While YouTube acknowledged the detection mechanism, it declined to comment specifically on the cancellations of Premium memberships. However, a Google support agent informed PCMag that YouTube has indeed initiated cancellations for accounts found to have falsified signup country information. Affected users reportedly receive notifications via email and in-app messages informing them of the cancellation of their plans.

This crackdown on VPN usage for YouTube Premium subscriptions comes following a price increase for U.S. subscribers in the previous year, raising individual plan prices from $12 to $14 per month. The enforcement underscores YouTube’s efforts to maintain fairness and accuracy in its pricing structures across different regions, discouraging users from exploiting pricing discrepancies facilitated by VPN technology.