- By Vikas Yadav
- Fri, 21 Jun 2024 02:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Google's video streaming platform YouTube introduces new measures to limit malpractices on the service via several means. Soon after testing a new method to limit ad-blockers on the platform, the company is now introducing fresh curbs against Premium subscribers who used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to buy the plan at a cheaper cost.
According to TechCrunch, several Reddit users reported about their subscriptions getting cancelled because they used a VPN service to buy the subscription from a non-designated region. Google confirmed to the news outlet that it can detect when a subscriber falsely claims they are from another country while residing in another country.
For the unaware, VPNs can hide the IP address of a user, used to track the location of a particular device's region and personalise the experience. Using a VPN, users can buy the subscription at cheaper rates by depicting their location from a different country. In YouTube's case, the system will remind users to update the billing information if they spoof their location.
"To provide the most accurate plans and offers available, we have systems in place to determine the country of our users," Google said. It added if the signup country does not match where a user is accessing YouTube, they must update their billing details to the current region. This can help them ensure they continue to use the app without any interruptions.
In another instance, a Google support agent confirmed to PCMag that the company is cancelling the Premium memberships of accounts that used false country data while signing up. While cancellations of such subscriptions were undertaken recently, the ones who violate this rule may get an in-app notification or email once the plan is cancelled. The update comes after a recent crackdown on ad blockers that violate the terms of use of the platform. You can read more on this here.