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Russian Court Slaps Google with a Fine Larger Than All the Money on Earth

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Google Doodle for Russia Day 2015. (Source: Google)
Google Doodle for Russia Day 2015. (Source: Google)

The total claims by 17 Russian TV channels against Google have reached an astronomical 1.81 duodecillion rubles—a number with 39 zeros, with the USD equivalent being $1.85 followed by 37 zeros, Russian media outlet RBC reported on January 29.

In US dollars, this staggering sum far exceeds the combined GDP of every country on Earth.

The amount represents penalties accumulated as of January 15 for Google’s failure to restore the YouTube accounts of Russian media outlets, as required by a Russian court ruling.

The legal battle began in 2020 when Tsargrad TV and RIA FAN sued Google LLC (USA), Google Ireland, and Google’s Russian subsidiary, demanding the reinstatement of their blocked YouTube channels. In 2021, a Russian court ruled in their favor, ordering Google to restore access within nine months.

When Google failed to comply, daily fines of 100,000 rubles ($1,100) were imposed. The penalty doubles every week indefinitely—without any cap—until the accounts are reinstated.

Over time, additional Russian state-affiliated media outlets joined the case, including:

  • Zvezda, Channel One, and VGTRK (operators of Russia 1, Russia 24, and others)

  • Parliament TV, Moscow Media, TV Center, NTV, Gazprom Media Entertainment

  • Public Television of Russia, Channel 360, TRK Petersburg, Orthodox Television Fund

  • National Sports Channel, Technological Company Center, and Margarita Simonyan’s YouTube channel

By October 2024, the total fines already reached 2 undecillion rubles (a number with 36 zeros).

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