Free access has its limits, and YouTube just reminded its users of that. After years of tolerance, the platform is cracking down on the wild sharing of Premium Family accounts. A warning shot that strongly echoes the restrictive policy Netflix implemented a few months ago.
The end of an era
Until now, YouTube had turned a blind eye to violations of its terms of service. The contract clearly stated that all members of a Family plan had to live under the same roof, but in practice, the platform tolerated exceptions. That era seems to be over.
In recent weeks, some users have received an ultimatum-like email: “Your YouTube Premium Family membership requires all members to be part of the same household. It appears you do not meet this condition. Your access will be suspended in 14 days.”
Stricter enforcement measures
In practice, YouTube now checks every 30 days if Family members live at the same address. Violators risk losing Premium and being pushed to the free, ad-supported version.
A strong industry trend
This decision is part of a broader industry trend of restricting account sharing. Netflix led the way, causing frustration among subscribers. YouTube now wants users to take out their own subscriptions.
It remains to be seen if the platform will enforce sanctions as strictly as its rival. For now, warnings multiply but suspensions remain rare, a temporary reprieve for households used to sharing accounts.
