Online retailers and digital service providers often employ data-driven pricing mechanisms. These may include personalized pricing, where the same product or subscription is offered at different prices based on a consumer’s browsing history, device type, location, or inferred willingness to pay. Such practices allow companies to adjust prices dynamically and target individual consumers, which can raise concerns about fairness and transparency, as some buyers may unknowingly face higher prices due to characteristics that the company has tracked.^[1]

Many companies, particularly subscription-based digital services, employ regional pricing strategies that are stable and based on general market conditions. For example, YouTube Premium charges approximately $13.99 per month in the United States, whereas in India it costs around $1.50 per month, reflecting differences in affordability, local purchasing power, and other market factors such as licensing or competition.^[2]

In light of the above, using a VPN, a Virtual Private Network that conceals a user’s location and IP address, or other privacy tools may be permissible when a consumer faces prices inflated due to profiling, excessive price discrimination, or opaque data-driven practices. In such cases, this is a means of mitigating harm and accessing a fair price.^[3] However, when prices vary across countries based on local economic conditions, affordability, or market strategy, using a VPN to access another region’s price when the companies’ policies prohibit such activity constitutes misrepresentation and is therefore impermissible.^[4]

In conclusion, VPNs may be used to protect oneself from exploitative pricing, but they must not be used illegally, unsafely, or to access prices intended for another region.

And Allah knows best.

Mawlana Sahil Vahora
Student, Darul Iftaa Chicago

Reviewed and approved

Mufti Abrar Mirza
Head Mufti, Darul Iftaa Chicago