YouTube is taking action against users who have been using VPNs to subscribe to YouTube Premium at cheaper rates. The platform has started cancelling the Premium subscriptions of members who used a VPN to access lower subscription rates from different countries.
The issue came to light when multiple subscribers reported their plans being automatically cancelled by YouTube. The Google-owned company confirmed that they have initiated the cancellation of premium memberships for accounts identified as having falsified signup country information.
Many users have been able to sign up for YouTube Premium at lower prices offered in countries like Ukraine, where the cost is about $2.40 a month. This is significantly less than in countries like the US or UK, where it costs about $14 or $15 a month, respectively, for an individual plan.
VPNs, which are commonly used for internet security and privacy, hide a user’s IP address that can be traced to a geographic location. They can be customized to display a specific country of origin, allowing users to access cheaper subscriptions in nations with smaller economies.
However, YouTube has now started detecting subscribers changing locations after purchasing memberships at cheaper rates by spoofing locations and is cancelling their subscriptions. To prevent further exploitation, the platform is also demanding payment via a local bank card now.
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