Google faces an astronomical fine of $20.6 decillion from Russian broadcasters in a symbolic bid to push the tech giant to reinstate blocked YouTube channels. The penalty, characterized as “symbolic” by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, is intended to pressure Google into reconsidering its restrictions on Russian media. “This figure is meant to make the company pay attention,” Peskov remarked, emphasizing that Google “should not limit the actions of our broadcasters on a whim.”
The eye-watering sum stems from a legal dispute dating back to October 2022, when the Moscow Arbitration Court ordered Google to restore access to various Russian media channels on YouTube. The court imposed a 100,000 ruble ($1,028) daily fine for non-compliance, which doubles weekly without a cap, now totaling the unfathomable $20 decillion figure.
The conflict between Google and Russian broadcasters began in 2020, when the platform blocked outlets like Tsargrad TV and RIA news agency, citing U.S. sanctions against their owners. Tensions mounted in 2022 as Moscow-Kiev hostilities escalated, leading YouTube to block several additional Russian channels, including RT and Sputnik. Russian broadcasters filed multiple lawsuits in response, claiming unlawful censorship and seeking reinstatement of their channels. In 2022, they secured a favorable ruling from the Moscow Arbitration Court, which ordered Google to reverse the bans.
