In a move that’s sure to make the world sit up and take notice, Russia has fined Google a staggering $20 decillion for the audacity to restrict access to its state-run media channels on YouTube. That’s right – $20 decillion, a figure so outrageous it makes the national debt look like a mere lunch bill.
A Russian court ruled that Google violated national broadcasting laws by stopping access to these channels, and it has ordered the restoration of the blocked content. If Google doesn’t comply within nine months, the fines will double every day. This ruling comes after YouTube implemented a global ban on several Russian state-operated channels back in March 2022, as part of its policies to prevent the spread of content that downplays or denies violence.
YouTube has defended its actions, citing its community standards, especially regarding narratives related to the Ukraine conflict. So far, the platform has removed over 1,000 channels and more than 15,000 videos tied to Russian state messaging. This has led to significant backlash from the Kremlin, which sees these restrictions as censorship.
This is not the first time Google has faced penalties from Russian authorities. Fines began in 2020, starting with a daily charge of 100,000 rubles (about Rs 85,000) for blocking channels. Recently, 17 Russian broadcasters have joined the fight, suing Google to have their channels reinstated.
Despite the rising tensions, Google hasn’t completely pulled out of Russia. While it has reduced its operations significantly since the Ukraine invasion, services like YouTube and Google Search are still accessible. However, the Russian arm of Google did file for bankruptcy after the government seized its bank accounts, complicating the situation even further.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, described the massive fine as a largely symbolic gesture meant to encourage Google to rethink its position on Russian media. He even admitted the figure is so absurd that he struggled to say it, stating, “I can’t even pronounce this figure right
