Based on recent reports, YouTube is actively restricting access to Premium accounts created through VPNs and cracking down on users accessing Premium content across different regions. According to user discussions, YouTube now detects and blocks VPN connections when attempting to stream Premium content[^6][^10].
Some key impacts:
- Users report being unable to play YouTube Music through Sonos speakers when using a VPN, with the service becoming accessible only after bypassing VPN connections[^6]
- Premium subscribers attempting to access content from different regions than their subscription face connection errors and service disruptions
- The restrictions appear to be part of YouTube's broader strategy to enforce regional content licensing and subscription terms
The crackdown coincides with YouTube's increased focus on Premium subscriptions, including showing longer unskippable ads to free users in 2025 to drive Premium adoption[^8].
[^6]: Sonos Community - Unable to play YouTube Music
[^8]: LateNode Community - Why are YouTube users experiencing extremely long, non-skippable advertisements?
[^10]: Reddit r/VPN - Getting around YouTube Premium
That's on all of you for using that shit and paying for it. Just fucking download the videos and watch them offline. Or use newpipe/freetube.
Don't give google any money.
Or just use a simple adblocker
Or even better, a private frontend. There are plenty. Even on ios, download the Unwatched app.