News YouTube is targeting VPN tricks for cheaper Premium plans

[AC News]

YouTube may have just plugged the hole for those sneaky Premium discounts.

YouTube is targeting VPN tricks for cheaper Premium plans : Read more

 

[joeldf]

I thought the whole point of a VPN is so the site being contacted can't tell your actual location from the location the VPN IP address says you're at.

Now this calls into question the point, or even effectiveness, of a VPN.

What is YouTube actually doing in the background to find out this information? Is it snooping on your device now?

Could any site do that if they wanted?

Just wondering.

 

[Bla1ze]

They did this to me a few months ago, I signed up for YT premium when I was in the US but live in Canada and they killed my account and forced me to sign up in Canada.

 

[Bla1ze]

I thought the whole point of a VPN is so the site being contacted can't tell your actual location from the location the VPN IP address says you're at.

Now this calls into question the point, or even effectiveness, of a VPN.

What is YouTube actually doing in the background to find out this information? Is it snooping on your device now?

Could any site do that if they wanted?

Just wondering.

They're likely not doing anything that aggressive and it has little to do with the effectiveness of a VPN. They can see where your account is set up from regionally and if the majority of the usage is not coming from there, pretty easy to figure out. In order to not standout, you would need to use the VPN that you signed up with ALL THE TIME on your device to make sure the location data matched and no one is going to do that. They give you the option to prove you are in the location you say you are.

 

[joeldf]

They're likely not doing anything that aggressive and it has little to do with the effectiveness of a VPN. They can see where your account is set up from regionally and if the majority of the usage is not coming from there, pretty easy to figure out. In order to not standout, you would need to use the VPN that you signed up with ALL THE TIME on your device to make sure the location data matched and no one is going to do that. They give you the option to prove you are in the location you say you are.

I see. That explains things. I don't use YT Premium, and all other streaming accounts I use are all through my actual location.

I had only used a VPN on rare occasions some time ago, and not for any paid services.

But all of that just piqued my curiosity.