YouTube confirms crackdown on VPN users accessing cheaper Premium plans

YouTube is cracking down on users using VPNs to access cheaper Premium plans from different regions, risking cancellations for violators.

: YouTube is targeting Premium subscribers who use VPNs to buy subscriptions at lower prices in other countries. Affected users have faced cancellations and requests to update billing information. The crackdown comes after a price increase for U.S. subscribers last year.

YouTube is intensifying its efforts to curb the practice of using VPNs to access cheaper Premium subscription plans available in different countries. This move has led to several users complaining on Reddit after their subscriptions were canceled for subscribing outside their designated region.

VPNs are typically used to enhance privacy and security, but they can also disguise a user's IP address, giving the impression that they are in another country. This tactic is commonly employed to get lower subscription prices, though YouTube has developed systems to detect such discrepancies and prompt users to update their billing information.

Despite confirming the detection of falsified signup countries, YouTube did not comment on the cancellation process. However, Google support has acknowledged that cancellations have begun for accounts identified with mismatched countries. This enforcement follows a price increase in YouTube Premium for U.S. users from $12 to $14 per month last year.

VPN crackdownPremium subscriptionsYouTube billing