Google Hit with Astounding Fine of $204.8 Octillion Over YouTube Fallout
Google faces an astronomical fine of $204.8 octillion. This amount exceeds all the money the world has ever made. The penalty stems from a long-running dispute related to YouTube’s banning of Russian media outlets.
The tech giant has spent years refusing to restore the accounts of Russian pro-Kremlin and state-run media. This situation escalated after YouTube banned the ultra-nationalist Russian channel Tsargrad and the state-run RIA FAN in 2020. Following these bans, the affected outlets filed lawsuits against Google.
According to sources at RBC news, Google began incurring daily penalties of about 100,000 rubles in 2020. These penalties resulted from the courts ruling in favor of the propaganda outlets. Since then, the penalties have doubled each week, leading to the staggering total of $204.8 octillion.
The situation worsened after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The invasion prompted YouTube to block more Russian state-run media outlets that supported the military actions. In response, Moscow retaliated with fines against Google.
To put this fine into perspective, one X user noted that if Google were to pay Russia all the money produced since the universe began, it would only cover about 3% of the fine. A Russian judge remarked on the bizarre nature of the case, stating it was “a case in which there are many, many zeros,” according to The Register.
Google’s Response to the Fine
Despite the overwhelming size of the fine, Google is unlikely to face bankruptcy. The tech giant has been inactive in Russia since 2022, following its withdrawal after the Ukraine conflict began. Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in the summer of 2022 and was officially declared bankrupt the following autumn.
Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, stopped all advertising in Russia to comply with Western sanctions. In its latest earnings statement, the company acknowledged ongoing legal issues related to Russia. “We have ongoing legal matters relating to Russia,” the statement read. It also mentioned that compounding penalties have been imposed due to disputes over account terminations, including those belonging to sanctioned parties.
Russia’s Technological Response
In 2023, Russia introduced a plan to create its own Android smartphone. This initiative followed an exodus of technology companies from the country. The US Department of Commerce banned consumer technology exports priced over $300 to Russia, intensifying the sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.
This desperate move highlights Russia’s struggle to maintain technological independence in the wake of increasing global sanctions. The country is seeking ways to replace the technologies lost due to the withdrawal of major companies.
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