On Tuesday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government issued a Consumer Damage Advisory to proactively prevent the spread of consumer harm related to YouTube’s paid subscription service (account sharing), as reports of such incidents have surged recently.
Following a price hike of approximately 43% for YouTube’s ad-free service in 2024, account-sharing services offering access for just 4,000 KRW to 5,000 KRW (about 3 USD to 3.70 USD) per month have proliferated online, leading to repeated instances of consumer exploitation.
According to the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center, complaints related to YouTube account-sharing services reached 58 cases in June alone, accounting for 59.8% of all complaints. The total number of reported damages over the past six months (January to June 18, 2025) has climbed to 97 cases.
The platforms most frequently associated with these incidents are ShareJS (31 cases) and SaveShare (10 cases). Many affected users reported account suspensions within 14 weeks of purchasing a one-year subscription.
Vendors of YouTube account sharing services typically subscribe to the YouTube Premium Family Plan – available only in certain countries – via a virtual private network (VPN). They then add consumers who purchase their service as family members.
In February of last year, the city issued a similar advisory due to a spike in incidents and took action to halt related sales on major online marketplaces. However, analysis shows that these transactions have since moved underground, with advertisements and sales now occurring discreetly through peer-to-peer platforms, online forums, and messaging apps.
The Seoul Electronic Commerce Center has warned that these YouTube account-sharing services, which exploit the YouTube Premium Family Plan not available in South Korea, can lead to sudden account suspensions due to violations of Google’s usage policies.
City officials urged consumers to avoid using video platform services through irregular channels, even if they appear cheaper. Those affected by such incidents can seek detailed guidance by contacting the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center for consultation.