Russia fines Google $20 decillion—that’s more than the entire world’s GDP

A Russian court has imposed an extraordinary $20 decillion fine on Google for restricting access to 17 YouTube channels owned by local Russian networks, a penalty that dramatically exceeds Google’s $2 trillion market value and even the World Bank’s estimated global GDP of around $100 trillion. The fine will continue to accumulate unless Google reverses its decision to block these channels, according to a report from Russian news outlet RBC.
The dispute, which began in 2020, centres on YouTube’s removal of Tsargrad TV, a pro-Russian channel, following US-imposed sanctions on its owner. In response, a Russian court initially imposed a daily fine of 100,000 rubles (approximately £830), with the amount set to double weekly if unpaid. However, the situation escalated in 2022 when YouTube blocked additional Russian channels in response to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, prompting a lawsuit from 17 channels and leading to the court’s latest astronomical penalty.
Ivan Morozov, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, stated that “Google was called by a Russian court to administrative liability under Art. 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code for removing channels on the YouTube platform.” He added that the court has mandated Google restore the blocked channels to avoid further financial penalties.
In its latest earnings call, Google addressed ongoing legal complications in Russia, noting that it “does not believe these ongoing legal matters will have a material adverse effect.” However, if Google fails to comply with the court’s ruling within the next nine months, the daily fine will double, further compounding the already vast financial figure. Google, which shuttered its Russian office in 2022 after the authorities seized over $100 million in assets, remains resolute despite the mounting pressure.