YouTube cracks down on premium family plan sharing: Here’s all you need to know

YouTube is reportedly cracking down on users sharing a YouTube Premium Family subscription while living away from the plan manager’s household. A report from Android Police suggests that the platform has started flagging accounts where members don’t actually live in the same household as the plan manager. This is similar to the Netflix restriction on users sharing accounts outside one household to create their own subscription.

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For those unaware, the YouTube Premium Family plan, priced at Rs 299 per month in India, allows one user to share ad-free YouTube and YouTube Music access with up to five others. On paper, all members need to live under the same roof. However, families have been sharing these plans across cities and even countries without much hassle. Now the streaming platform might be closing this loophole soon.

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Some users have already reported receiving emails saying: “Your YouTube Premium family membership will be paused.” The message warns that if YouTube detects you’re not at the same physical address as your plan manager, your Premium perks will vanish within 14 days. You won’t be booted from the family group, but you’ll be downgraded to the ad-supported version of YouTube unless you can prove eligibility by contacting Google support.

YouTube runs electronic check-ins every 30 days to verify if all members are still at the same address. Up until now, those checks were more of a formality, with plenty of people getting away with sharing across households. But with this new crackdown, users who don’t live together may finally lose their Premium privileges.

Also read: Google dodges Chrome breakup in antitrust case, but judge demands these changes

Recently, YouTube introduced a two-member Premium plan back in May, and this move could be aimed at nudging “extended families” into paying for their own subscription tiers. The strategy sounds familiar because Netflix pulled the same stunt with its password-sharing crackdown. Despite the initial backlash, Netflix ended up gaining more subscribers, and it looks like YouTube is hoping for a similar outcome.

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Himani Jha

Himani Jha is a tech news writer at Digit. Passionate about smartphones and consumer technology, she has contributed to leading publications such as Times Network, Gadgets 360, and Hindustan Times Tech for the past five years. When not immersed in gadgets, she enjoys exploring the vibrant culinary scene, discovering new cafes and restaurants, and indulging in her love for fine literature and timeless music. View Full Profile