Google recently announced a major update to its paid YouTube terms of service. The new rules will take effect on September 26, 2025, covering all subscribers to Premium, YouTube Music Premium, and Premium Lite. The core of these revisions is to strictly control cross-region subscriptions, requiring users to primarily use the service within the country or region where they registered. Google reserves the right to terminate subscriptions for extended periods (over 30 days) outside of their registered region, or for circumventing restrictions through false information.
Notably, users who move abroad will need to re-subscribe locally, but the ability to continue service depends on availability and pricing policies in the new region. Furthermore, Google explicitly prohibits illegal use, such as account password sharing, and offenders risk subscription suspension or cancellation. This measure aims to maintain regional pricing and prevent users from exploiting low-priced membership benefits.
Analysts point out that the new rules may affect users who frequently travel internationally or study abroad. While Google allows users to transfer subscriptions to new countries, they will be subject to potential price and service differences. As global compliance requirements for streaming platforms tighten, similar policies may become the norm. Currently, the subscription cost of YouTube Premium in low-price areas such as Türkiye and Argentina is only one-third of that in the European and American markets. This update to the terms is seen as a key step in plugging the "price arbitrage" loophole.
