Sharing a YouTube Premium or YouTube Music family plan with people who don't live at your address could soon cost you the perks you're used to. Several users have reported receiving warnings that their accounts will be paused within 15 days if they don't comply with YouTube's rules on family plans.
The policy isn't new. YouTube required family plan members to share the same household in 2023 but it looks like enforcement is stepping up. If you lose Premium, you can still stream videos and listen to music with ads but you'll have to deal with ads and fewer features, which is a big downgrade for most people.
If you're currently splitting an account across multiple locations, now's the time to check the fine print. YouTube is making it clear: Premium is for households only and ignoring that rule could mean losing the ad-free experience entirely.
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A YouTube spokesperson told CNET, "Our family plan policy hasn't changed and we are continuously enforcing it. You can learn more about the YouTube family plan here."
On its support page, YouTube says that an account manager can add up to five family members in a household to their Premium membership. But, the post says, "Family members sharing a YouTube family plan must live in the same household as the family manager." Groups can only be changed once every 12 months.
YouTube has been testing a two-household plan that would offer a discount for those who want to share, but that plan is not yet available in the US.
YouTube offers a one-month trial for its Premium and Music accounts, which cost $23 per month.
Subscription sharing crackdowns
YouTube joins other paid services that have started to enforce policies to cut down on the sharing of premium services.
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