INTERNATIONAL

A Russian court fines Google in the decillions over content restrictions

In an extraordinary move, a Russian court has issued Google with a fine of two undecillion roubles — a figure represented by a two followed by 36 zeroes — for restricting Russian state media channels on its YouTube platform. This unprecedented sum, amounting to roughly $20 septillion (20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 USD), far surpasses Google’s total valuation of approximately $2 trillion and even exceeds the world’s estimated $110 trillion GDP.

State news agency Tass has reported that the fine is growing continuously, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressing his own surprise at the magnitude. “I cannot even pronounce this number,” Peskov stated, adding, “but we urge Google management to pay attention.”

So far, Google has not commented on the fine or responded to requests for statements. According to Russian media outlet RBC, the fine pertains to restrictions placed on 17 Russian media channels on YouTube, which began in 2020 and intensified after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Following the invasion, most Western companies exited Russia, and business dealings there became heavily restricted by international sanctions.

In Europe, Russian media outlets were also banned, which led to vengeful actions from Moscow. As a result, Google’s Russian branch was declared bankrupt in 2022, and the company has since ceased its commercial services in Russia, such as advertising, though its products are not fully banned in the country.

This immense fine marks a significant increase in the ongoing tensions between Russia and Google, a branch of the American tech giant Alphabet. Russian authorities have previously taken action against the company; in May 2021, Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, accused Google of restricting access to Russian media outlets on YouTube, including RT and Sputnik, and of promoting “illegal protest activity.” In July 2022, Russia imposed a 21.1 billion rouble fine (approximately £301 million) on Google for not restricting access to content it considered “prohibited” material related to the war in Ukraine.

Russia’s latest fine on Google underscores the intensifying tension between Moscow and Western technology firms, with press freedom and freedom of expression in the country increasingly diminished. Independent news outlets are limited, and opposing voices are restricted, highlighting the complex landscape Google faces in Russia.

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