Tech Desk 
Jun 21, 2024
YouTube, a leading entertainment platform, has recently taken strict actions against Premium subscribers who violated the platform's rules by using virtual private networks (VPNs) to obtain subscriptions at lower rates.
The platform has systematically canceled premium plans for many users found in breach of its policies, sparking backlash among affected subscribers who voiced their grievances on Reddit.
VPNs are primarily used to safeguard user privacy by masking IP addresses, effectively concealing a user's geographic location. By using VPNs on YouTube, users could appear to be accessing the platform from a different country where the price for YouTube Premium is lower.
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According to reports, YouTube has stated to TechCrunch that they have robust systems to detect VPN usage, considering it a violation leading to decisive actions against offending accounts.
A spokesperson for YouTube emphasised: "To ensure accurate pricing and offerings, we have mechanisms in place to determine the location of our users."
While the company acknowledged the cancellations, they declined to elaborate on specific cases. Another spokesperson mentioned to PCMag that memberships were terminated for accounts found to have falsified their signup country information.
This crackdown comes a year after YouTube raised prices for US subscribers from $12 to $14 per month.
