YouTube Revoking Access to Premium Plans Purchased via VPN Services
In a move to maintain fair pricing and combat fraud, YouTube, owned by Google, has implemented stricter measures to detect and address users who attempt to bypass regional pricing for its Premium service using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Recent developments reveal that YouTube can detect when a subscriber is lying about their sign-up country, and many users have been found to use VPNs to mask their original sign-up country. When discovered, these users are prompted to update their billing information to their current country of residence.
YouTube is also fighting against ad blockers by embedding ads into its videos using a new Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) strategy. However, the focus of this article is on the company's stance against VPN usage.
Google, while not explicitly stating that it is cancelling YouTube Premium memberships obtained using VPN services, has been taking action against such practices. This is seen as a violation of YouTube's terms of service, which prohibit circumventing geo-restrictions. While YouTube might not actively cancel accounts solely for this reason, it could potentially block access or restrict services for users found to be using such methods.
Some users, seeking to exploit the price difference between high-priced regions like the U.S. and lower-priced regions like Ukraine, have been using a VPN and an international payment card to change their locations. This practice has been blamed by some users as the reason for the price hike for U.S. YouTube Premium subscribers, which increased from $12 to $14 per month a year ago.
Users who use a VPN to buy a YouTube Premium membership will have their membership cancelled, but are unlikely to have their accounts blocked or banned. However, this practice still poses risks to the user's account, as YouTube often deals with VPN usage by blocking VPN servers rather than cancelling user accounts.
Currently, a single-account YouTube Premium subscription in the U.S. costs $13.99 per month, while in some regions, a YouTube Premium subscription is almost 90% cheaper, with a single-account subscription in Ukraine costing under $2.50 a month. YouTube Premium includes ad-free playback, YouTube Music, and background and offline playback for up to six people, making it an appealing service for many.
Despite not making an official statement on cancelling YouTube Premium memberships obtained using VPN services, it is clear that YouTube is taking steps to combat this practice and maintain fair pricing for its users worldwide.
Technology plays a crucial role in YouTube's efforts to combat fraudulent activities, such as users attempting to bypass regional pricing for its Premium service using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Additionally, YouTube's stance against VPN usage is evident in its new measures to detect and address such practices, which are seen as a violation of the company's terms of service.
