In a groundbreaking ruling, a Russian court has fined Google an unprecedented 2 undecillion rubles (approximately $20 decillion) for blocking several Russian TV channels from their YouTube platform. This staggering amount surpasses the world’s GDP, which the IMF estimates to be around $110 trillion. The penalty is set to escalate daily until Google complies with the court’s order to restore access to these channels, potentially reaching 1 googol (1 followed by 100 zeros) within a week if not addressed.
The total claims from 17 Russian TV channels have now surged to this astronomical figure, equivalent to a unit with 36 zeros. During a court session on October 28, the judge highlighted the unusual scale of the case, referring to it as “a matter with many, many zeros.” The fine was imposed after Google failed to restore the YouTube accounts of affected media outlets, including Zvezda, Channel One, and VGTRK (home to channels like Russia 1 and Russia 24).
The court had previously ordered Google to reinstate access to these channels, threatening escalating penalties for non-compliance. If Google does not fulfill this order within nine months, they will incur a daily penalty of ₽100,000, which doubles each week until the order is satisfied, with no upper limit on the total fine.
This conflict traces back to 2020, when YouTube blocked the accounts of specific Russian media for alleged violations of sanctions and trade regulations. Following the start of the military operation in Ukraine in 2022, YouTube expanded its bans to include multiple Russian state channels.
In June 2022, Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy, revealing debts exceeding ₽19 billion against assets worth only ₽3.5 billion. The courts have since acknowledged various creditor claims, with one prominent channel, Tsargrad, confirming a debt of ₽32.7 billion.
In a strategic legal maneuver, Russian media outlets have sought to have court decisions against Google recognized and enforced in various countries, including Turkey, Hungary, and South Africa. In response, Google has filed lawsuits in the U.S. and U.K. to prevent these channels from pursuing legal action outside of Russia.
To provide perspective, the $20 decillion fine consists of 33 digits, representing a level of monetary punishment that far exceeds the financial capabilities of any corporation. According to Ivan Morozov, a lawyer cited by the Russian state news agency TASS, this fine is unprecedented in scale.
Economic experts, such as Roman Yankovsky from the HSE Institute of Education, believe that “Google clearly will not pay this penalty, and the Russian Federation will not be able to recover this money from the company.” His assertion appears well-founded, considering Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has a market capitalization of just over $2 trillion. With earnings reported at $80.54 billion in the last quarter, the tech giant is unlikely to accommodate such an extraordinary financial demand.
