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Do you usually subscribe to YouTube Premium using a VPN? Well, the company may cancel your plan. It appears that YouTube is canceling premium subscriptions for users who paid using VPNs. Resorting to a VPN to contract a digital service is a common practice among people looking to spend less money. However, YouTube wouldn’t like this at all.
Like many other digital services, YouTube has a regional pricing system. This means that paying Premium is cheaper or more expensive depending on the region. Price differences arise from multiple aspects, such as the economic reality of the country, fees, etc. There are people who take advantage of the situation by paying for the Premium plan while “disguising” their location. This allows them to get much lower prices compared to those in their countries.
YouTube reportedly canceling Premium plans paid through VPNs
That said, it seems that the company is starting to attack this method. Recent reports suggest that YouTube is going to cancel Premium plans contracted using VPNs. Some Redditors reported the situation, describing their experiences. In one case, the YouTube team said it canceled the subscription “due to inaccurate billing country.” The user had resorted to a VPN to pay in Argentine pesos.
There is also a case where a user did not use a VPN to subscribe to YouTube Premium but moved to a different country. The user had paid for the Premium plan in Ukraine and then moved to the UK. However, the company canceled their subscription, telling them that they must add a card and address from the country where they currently reside.
This apparent new policy would add to other recent decisions that have upset people. For example, constant attacks on AdBlocker users (even testing server-side ads) or skipping videos at the end if YouTube detects an AdBlocker. At least the platform is not immediately canceling users’ Premium subscriptions, but rather letting them enjoy the time they have left until the next billing cycle.