Russia Fines Google $20.5 Decillion
According to Russian media, Google has been fined ₽2 undecillion (about $20.5 decillion) for blocking pro-Kremlin and state-run media outlets on YouTube — a fine that is expected to increase exponentially due to daily penalties over non-payment....
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Facts
- According to Russian media, Google has been fined ₽2 undecillion (about $20.5 decillion) for blocking pro-Kremlin and state-run media outlets on YouTube — a fine that is expected to increase exponentially due to daily penalties over non-payment.[1][2]
- In 2020, a Russian court ordered Google to restore the YouTube accounts of Tsargrad and RIA FAN within nine months and pay ₽100K (about $1K) daily after that.[3][4]
- Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, YouTube blocked more Russian channels, including RT and Sputnik. A total of 17 channels sued Google, and Tuesday's court order was passed after calculating the fines for each.[5][6]
- According to lawyer Ivan Morozov, Google has been fined for violating Article 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code, and it can return to the Russian market only if it pays the penalty and restores the channels.[2]
- Despite being one of the world's wealthiest tech companies, the fine is more than the market capitalization of Google's parent company, Alphabet. In fact, it's far greater than the world's total gross domestic product, which is estimated to be $110T.[7]
- In 2023, Google's Russian subsidiary was officially declared bankrupt, one year after the Kremlin seized its bank account. Previously, it had suspended advertising in Russia due to Western sanctions in response to the country's war in Ukraine.[8][5]
Sources: [1]Interesting Engineering, [2]TASS, [3]NBC, [4]New York Post, [5]The Moscow Times, [6]Fortune Europe, [7]CNN and [8]Reuters.
Narratives
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Express Tribune and Deseret News. Though this mind-boggling fine may sound surreal, it’s a stark indicator of escalating tensions between foreign tech companies and Russian authorities over content control, free speech, and sanction compliance. It also highlights how Big Tech — and Google, in particular — engage in brazen censorship in order to push the West's mainstream narrative.
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by NBC. The court's order is politically motivated and aimed at influencing Google's content moderation policies. Since the fine already exceeds Google's value, it's clear the company will not pay it. Moreover, as this jaw-dropping penalty doesn't adversely affect its business, Google is unlikely to bow to Russian pressure or reverse its action against the Kremlin's propaganda.
