Russia fines Google $20.5 decillion for blocking YouTube channels

WTF?! Russia seems to return pleasance successful handing retired fines to Western tech companies, but nan latest 1 seems a small excessive. According to reports, a tribunal successful nan state has deed Google pinch a good of 2 undecillion rubles complete YouTube blocking entree to Russian channels. That astir $20.5 decillion, rather a batch much than nan estimated world GDP of $100 trillion.

YouTube was banning Russian channels moreover earlier Vladimir Putin's forces invaded Ukraine. In 2020, nan work banned nan Tsargrad TV transmission and RIA FAN owed to what Google said were violations of sanctions authorities and waste and acquisition rules.

YouTube banned much of nan nation's channels successful 2022 pursuing Russia's penetration of its neighbor, including RT, Sputnik, NTV, and more.

According to Russian connection tract RBC, 17 channels are suing Google complete nan bans. Russian courts antecedently ordered Google to reconstruct nan channels. If nan institution grounded to do this wrong 9 months, it would beryllium fined 100,000 rubles ($1,025) for each time of non-compliance. The magnitude doubles each week until Google complies, pinch nary limit connected nan full fine.

Putin's much of a Yandex guy

Thanks to compound interest, Google now owes 2 undecillion rubles. A decillion is simply a 1 followed by 36 zeros. It's nan US balanced of astir 20.5 decillion dollars, pinch a decillion being a 1 followed by 33 zeros.

The judge successful nan lawsuit mentioned he was dealing pinch a lawsuit successful which location are "many, galore zeros," which is rather nan understatement.

Seeing arsenic Google genitor Alphabet made $174 cardinal successful gross profit successful 2023, it appears Russia is trying to bankrupt nan US giant. The study states that Russian media person appealed to courts successful Turkey, Hungary, Spain, South Africa, and different countries to admit and enforce tribunal decisions made against Google successful Russia.

In July 2022, Russia fined Google 21.1 cardinal roubles (~$373 million) complete YouTube failing to region videos that, among different things, allegedly promoted "extremism and terrorism." It said nan video level had not deleted "fakes" astir nan "special subject operation" successful Ukraine, thereby discrediting nan equipped forces of nan Russian Federation.

Even earlier nan penetration of Ukraine, Russia and Google regularly fought complete issues ranging from wherever nan institution stored its information to not removing definite websites from search results.

Google doesn't look excessively worried astir nan business and having to salary much than nan world's GDP. In its latest net statement, Alphabet said it had ongoing ineligible matters relating to Russia, but does not judge they will person a worldly adverse effect.

Masthead: Alexander Mils