VPN refers to a virtual private network, which protects users by encrypting data and masking IP addresses. Using VPNs hides search activities, identity, and location, and improves privacy and autonomy. Recently, VPNs are also used for OTT services such as YouTube and Netflex. Various contents that cannot be seen in the current region can be viewed through VPNs by bypassing the country. However, there are many cases of exploiting these positive points.
YouTube’s premium prices vary by country. In the U.S., it costs $13.99 per month, but in Argentina, it is possible to subscribe for $1.05 per month. In response, some users used a detour method by changing the location of users to a country where premium subscriptions are cheaper through VPN.
YouTube used VPN to automatically cancel subscriptions for people who used premium services in cheap countries. YouTube is stepping up its crackdown on users who do not actually live in the country.
YouTube spokesman Paul Pennington told The Verge, “The company has a system that allows users to verify their location. If the country of subscription and the country in which the user accesses YouTube do not match, we are asking members to update their payment information to their current country of residence.”
However, it did not say whether YouTube started automatically canceling subscriptions using the VPN bypass method.
Recently, YouTube has stepped up its crackdown on detour methods. It started cracking down on advertisement blockers and this time started cracking down on low-cost premium subscriptions.
EJ SONG
US ASIA JOURNAL
