A Russian court issued an astronomical $20 decillion penalty against Google on Wednesday, accusing the company of blocking content from Russian state media, Breitbart reported. This penalty, far surpassing any real economic scale, appears to be Moscow’s symbolic rebuke of perceived censorship by Western tech companies.

The unimaginable sum, a two followed by 34 zeros, dwarfs the gross domestic product of the entire world. NBC News noted that, although a decillion is smaller than a googol (a term that represents a number with 100 zeros and also inspired Google’s name), this fine exceeds Google’s $2.1 trillion market valuation by an almost unfathomable margin. NBC joked, “It’s the kind of fine you might want to pay in installments.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that the penalty serves primarily as a symbolic gesture. “Although it is a specific amount, I cannot even say this number; it is rather filled with symbolism,” Peskov commented. He also noted that Google should interpret the fine as a caution against restricting Russian media on its platforms.

The unprecedented fine arose from grievances lodged by 17 Russian state media organizations after Google blocked access to some of their content. The situation escalated when YouTube restricted several prominent Russian channels, including some that were once controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a mercenary leader who died in a mysterious plane explosion in August 2023 after reportedly clashing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian legal specialists had predicted a high-figure ruling, with one judge earlier in the week hinting at a judgment with “many, many zeroes.” The ruling stipulates that if Google fails to pay within nine months, the penalty will increase exponentially each day. Additionally, Moscow has indicated that Google’s access to Russian users will continue to face restrictions until it complies.

Amid rising tensions, access to YouTube within Russia was blocked on August 8, though authorities have not provided a full explanation for the action. This decision followed a warning from a Russian lawmaker who suggested slowing down YouTube’s operational speed by as much as 70%, alleging that the platform has been dismissive of Russian legal standards.

{Matzav.com}