Your Plex Server Might Be At Risk Of Getting Banned (Here's What You Can To Do Prevent It)
In February 2024, multiple Reddit users claimed their Plex accounts had been wrongly banned, with some sharing screenshots of the emails they received from Plex that stated the reason for the ban: "accepting monetary compensation," which would violate the company's terms of service. The problem? They claimed they weren't accepting any payments. While some users ultimately had their bans reversed after disputing the claim, others didn't, leaving many users worried that they, too, could be hit with an unexpected ban.
Though it may be simple to point banned users in the direction of alternative personal media streaming services like JellyFin, Stremio, and Emby, the frustration is understandable when you consider that some Plex users paid $119.99 for lifetime access to Plex Pass or $39.99 for the annual subscription. After all, Plex is a popular app that can be used to transform a Raspberry Pi into a smart TV or an old PC into a media streaming server, not to mention it's a must-have entertainment app.
If you've also shelled out for the lifetime subscription, it's reasonable to want to ensure you don't accidentally get yourself banned, too. What reasons may be behind Plex bans and how can you avoid a similar outcome? The answers are simple.
Why Plex may ban your account
Plex's Terms of Service lists several prohibitions that could result in a permanent ban, including unauthorized sharing or distribution of content. Apart from the account holder, it defines authorized users as members of one's immediate family who have been given access to the server. This covers managed accounts that are part of a paid Plex Home plan and users (family and close friends) who have been given library or server access. The account holder is responsible for anything their authorized users do involving the server.
Selling or purchasing access to Plex is prohibited by the terms of service. This rule covers both the Plex server admin and the users granted access to the server. Many banned Plex users say this was the reason the company gave when explaining why their accounts were terminated. Elsewhere, Plex states that users can share content with a maximum of 100 people, which includes up to 15 Plex Home users. This is regardless of how many servers the Plex account holder has.
The Plex terms of service prohibit intellectual property rights infringement, which is a tricky element, as the software is popular among content pirates. Users must not upload and share anything involving copyright infringement, as well as anything that "defames, harasses, threatens, [or] offends" the rights of others, according to the TOS. The terms list other objectionable uses, including anything that harms Plex, impersonation, sharing spam or other harmful content, and anything that breaks the law. According to the company's Content Guidelines, Plex also bans content found to be hateful, harmful, dangerous, violent, graphic, or sexually explicit.
How to keep your Plex account in good standing
A good practice is closely reading Plex's terms of service and staying informed about any changes. Companies usually notify their users about changes in terms of service via email, but it's also wise to check the page periodically for update notices to help you avoid potential violations. Be respectful of the Plex community. When using its social features that allow interactions with others, remember what you're saying is in a public forum, and stay away from hate speech and profanity. Don't infringe on copyrights — ensure that you only upload, share, or stream content that you have the right to. Don't copy or illegally distribute Plex or third-party content available on the platform.
Likewise, keep in mind the maximum user limit (100 total, including yourself) that you can share content with. While this isn't grounds to ban a Plex account — you will simply no longer be able to add more users when you hit the limit – having many users on your server may increase your risk of getting flagged. That's because you are also responsible for the way shared content is being used. If you give server access to someone you don't know very well, they may violate the terms of service. For example, while you may not accept money for providing Plex access, one of your friends might sell access to their own account that is authorized to access your server.
What to do if your Plex account is banned
In most cases, Plex provides users with a way to dispute the ban action taken against them, as well as details on how to appeal the action and provide evidence in one's defense. If these things aren't explicitly outlined, you should try to reach out to Plex's support team to make your case. Keep track of emails from Plex to see if there has been any communication regarding violations of the terms of service or any recent policy changes you may have violated. If your account is reinstated after a review, try to ensure you don't violate the terms of service again, or if it was one of the users you share with, revoke that user's privileges or educate them about best practices.
Unfortunately, despite being a Plex Pass subscriber — or having paid a one-time fee for a Lifetime subscription — your Plex account ban may not be reversed if the company finds that you violated its terms of service. In this case, the only recourse you have is to accept the monetary loss, and perhaps start using an alternative service with similar features, such as Kodi, JellyFin, Stremio, or Emby. Of course, you'll need to follow the rules on those platforms, too, to avoid a potential ban.