YouTube Premium has just put an end to one of the most common (and convenient) practices among subscribers, that of creating a “digital family” to share the Premium plan among friends (and thus pay less). From now on, the platform will require that all members live under the same roof. And watch out, because those who do not comply risk having their account frozen for two weeks and could even be banned if it is detected that they subscribed from countries with lower rates!
Sharing is over
Until now, the YouTube Premium family plan was the cheapest (and legal) way to skip ads, have YouTube Music, and download videos without having to sell a kidney for it. For €26 a month, six people could enjoy all that. And what was usual was to team up with friends or even strangers, and split the cost to enjoy the service.
But that is over, from now on YouTube will really check if all members live at the same address. It is no longer enough to put the same city or say “yes, yes, we live together”. They will carry out periodic checks. And if they detect that you do not live with the account holder, you are out.
What can happen if they catch you?
If YouTube detects that one of the family plan members does not live with the account administrator, access will be suspended for 14 days. No ad-free videos, no music. You go back to the basic plan (the usual one).
Now, if you think it is a mistake, you will be able to appeal. They will send you an email explaining what happened and you will have the option to prove that you do live in the same house, but for that you will have to send evidence to verify it. And not everyone is willing to do that.
“So, if you have a child studying in another city or simply work in another city, even if you come back to your home every day you are considered a criminal” said an user
As if that were not enough, they have also warned that they are going after accounts subscribed from countries where the service is cheaper. Because yes, they caught you, many people have been subscribing from regions with lower prices to pay less.
YouTube and its new plan
For many people, YouTube is not just entertainment: it is a tool for work, study, and learning. And many relied on the family plan to afford it. If now it is restricted to real families and sharing among friends is not allowed, there will be those who cannot assume the individual cost and will simply stop paying.
Netflix already did it, and was heavily criticized, Amazon Prime also chose to do something similar and also received a lot of criticism. Now YouTube, which is one of the platforms where most creator content is consumed, is taking the same path. We are talking about the platform that many people open every day to learn something new, listen to music, or simply disconnect.
The change of course
This tightening of family plans marks a turning point. Google wants to make it clear that sharing subscriptions outside the household is no longer an option. More control, more restrictions, and more pressure for everyone to pay their full share, lest Mr. Google not bill everything he should each month!
Now it only remains to be seen if users put up with it or if they start looking for alternatives a little less legal. The streaming market is no longer what it used to be, and neither is people’s patience!