Russia fines Google impossible sum for blocking YouTube channels

October 31, 2024

Simone Del Rosario, Reporter

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A Russian court has fined Google an unprecedented $20 decillion after the tech giant blocked Kremlin-linked channels on YouTube. The fine, which doubles every week Google refuses to pay, reflects the widening rift between Russia and global tech companies over sanctions and content controls.

The court’s ruling stems from lawsuits filed in 2020 by Russian outlets Tsargrad TV and RIA FAN, which allege unlawful censorship after YouTube restricted their channels. Since then, 15 additional Kremlin-backed channels have joined the suits, citing U.S. sanctions and policy violations as reasons for the blocks.

The cumulative fine, now larger than the combined GDP of every nation by a trillionfold, underscores Russia’s symbolic pushback against Silicon Valley’s content restrictions.

In response to mounting fines, Google declared bankruptcy in Russia in 2022 after authorities seized over $100 million from its Russian subsidiary.

Legal analysts say that while Google is unlikely to pay the fine, which now stands at 2 undecillion rubles (equivalent to $20 decillion), the case illustrates growing geopolitical strains as governments worldwide confront Big Tech’s influence.

Google entered into an $85 million settlement with Arizona over claims it deceptively collected users location information.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has countersued in various countries, including Turkey, South Africa, Serbia, and Kyrgyzstan, aiming to shield its assets from further claims.

Legal experts say that while the unprecedented fine carries mostly symbolic weight, it reflects the intensifying battle between technology firms and state control in content regulation.

YouTube’s blocks began with sanctions on Konstantin Malofeyev, a Russian oligarch linked to Tsargrad TV, after he was accused by the U.S. of aiding Russia’s military interventions in Ukraine.

RIA FAN, founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin of Wagner Group fame, was also targeted by YouTube for policy violations after Prigozhin’s 2023 mutiny against the Kremlin. Since then, hundreds of Russia-associated channels have been removed from YouTube for either sanction compliance or content deemed to minimize violence.

Russia has a new drone-resistant tank, but it might be vulnerable to heavy artillery – as long as the Ukrainians don’t run out of munitions. — Getty Images

As the fine continues to double each week, the amount could reach 1 googol — a 1 followed by 100 zeros — within 219 weeks if left unpaid, though Google’s current market capitalization is $2 trillion, far from the fine’s demands.

Legal analysts suggest Russia’s court decision is largely symbolic but highlights how Google, and tech companies at large, are being forced to confront national laws and international sanctions that affect their operations.

The case remains a potent symbol of the political clashes shaping today’s digital media landscape. Google has yet to comment on the current status of the fine but continues to challenge claims on its assets beyond Russian borders.

Tags: Google search, Google Ad Manager, Russia-Ukraine War, Russia, Google, Alphabet, YouTube, Google Cloud, Google Play

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Full story

The cumulative fine, now larger than the combined GDP of every nation by a trillionfold, underscores Russia’s symbolic pushback against Silicon Valley’s content restrictions.

In response to mounting fines, Google declared bankruptcy in Russia in 2022 after authorities seized over $100 million from its Russian subsidiary.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has countersued in various countries, including Turkey, South Africa, Serbia, and Kyrgyzstan, aiming to shield its assets from further claims.

Legal experts say that while the unprecedented fine carries mostly symbolic weight, it reflects the intensifying battle between technology firms and state control in content regulation.

YouTube’s blocks began with sanctions on Konstantin Malofeyev, a Russian oligarch linked to Tsargrad TV, after he was accused by the U.S. of aiding Russia’s military interventions in Ukraine.