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YouTube Premium subscribers who use VPNs are reporting that their plans are being automatically canceled by the Google-owned company, according to multiple subscribers who have posted screenshots and descriptions of the issue on Reddit.
A Google support representative confirmed to PCMag that YouTube has started a crackdown. "YouTube has initiated the cancellation of premium memberships for accounts identified as having falsified signup country information," the Google support agent said via chat message. "Due to violating YouTube's Paid Terms of Service, these users will receive an email and an in-app notification informing them of the cancellation."
Asked when exactly YouTube began this wave of cancellations, the support agent replied: "This was done recently, I just can't specify the specific date."
Multiple YouTube users reported that they were originally able to sign up for YouTube Premium at lower prices offered in countries like Ukraine. In Ukraine, YouTube Premium costs about $2.40 a month. This is substantially less than in countries like the US or UK, where it costs about $14 or $15 a month, respectively, for an individual plan. Back in July, YouTube raised its Premium prices for US users from $12 to $14 a month. In January, it applied this hike to long-term subscribers as well.
VPNs, a common computer and internet security tool designed to protect user privacy, hide a user's IP address that can be traced to a geographic location. VPNs can help prevent cyberattacks and keep users' devices safe, but they can also be customized to display a specific country of origin. VPNs can effectively allow US users to masquerade as being based in other countries to get access to cheaper subscriptions in nations with smaller economies—or access to content that isn't licensed to be viewable in their home country.
PCMag has reached out to Google for additional comment.