Russian Court Hits Google with Record-Breaking $20 Decillion Fine Over YouTube Bans—A Symbolic Move with Global Ripples
A Russian court has ordered Google to pay a staggering fine—so immense that even the Kremlin acknowledged to NBC News on Thursday that it is largely symbolic and not a sum expected to impact Russia’s financial resources soon.
The penalty, approximately 20 decillion dollars (or 20 followed by 33 zeros) or two undecillion rubles, reflects claims by 17 Russian television channels and other media outlets, which had their content blocked on YouTube, the video-sharing platform owned by Google. These blocked channels are associated with supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as reported by Russian outlet RBC.
In practical terms, the prospect of Google actually paying this fine seems improbable. Not only does the amount exceed Google’s total market valuation of around $2 trillion, but it also vastly surpasses the size of the entire global economy, estimated by the International Monetary Fund to be roughly $110 trillion—a number with just 13 zeros.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the symbolic nature of the fine, stating to NBC News on Thursday, “While the amount is specific, it is difficult even to articulate due to its enormity; it represents more of a symbolic act.” He further remarked, “Google should not impose restrictions on our broadcasters through their platform,” urging Google’s leadership to address this issue and make necessary adjustments.
The case against Google began in 2020 when the company restricted access to channels linked to Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and businessman Konstantin Malofeev. The issue intensified in 2022 as YouTube implemented additional bans on channels following Russia’s broader military invasion of Ukraine. The court ruling ordered Google to reinstate these accounts within nine months, enforcing a daily fine of 100,000 rubles (about $1,000) for each day of noncompliance, with a weekly doubling of the fine and no upper limit, according to RBC.
Some Russian media outlets have extended their legal actions internationally, petitioning courts in Turkey, Hungary, Spain, and South Africa to uphold the Russian judgments against Google. In June, South Africa’s High Court permitted the seizure of some Google assets within its jurisdiction.
Despite these legal pressures, Google’s parent company Alphabet did not foresee substantial impacts. Following the release of Alphabet’s quarterly earnings, shares dipped by 1.2% in premarket trading after a 3% rise on positive earnings news the previous day. In its third-quarter earnings report, under “Legal Matters,” Alphabet stated, “We face ongoing legal issues related to Russia, including civil judgments with accumulating penalties linked to account terminations involving sanctioned entities.” Nonetheless, the company concluded, “We do not anticipate these legal matters will materially impact our financial condition.