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Russia has imposed a record-breaking $20 decillion fine on Google over YouTube’s ban on Russian state-backed media.
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The fine stems from a Russian court ruling that Google violated local broadcasting regulations.
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YouTube banned Russian state-run channels like RT and Sputnik in response to the Ukraine conflict.
Russia has slapped Google with an unprecedented fine of $20 decillion for banning Russian state-backed media channels on YouTube. The fine, which is symbolic, aims to highlight Moscow’s grievances with YouTube’s censorship.
The conflict began in 2022 when YouTube globally banned Russian state-run channels like RT and Sputnik, citing content policies that prevent violent event denial or trivialization. Russia views these bans as censorship and has demanded channel restoration. The fine will double daily if YouTube fails to comply within nine months.
Google has faced mounting penalties in Russia since 2020, including daily fines for blocking state-linked channels. Seventeen Russian broadcasters have filed similar lawsuits against Google. Despite curtailing operations in Russia, Google’s essential services like YouTube and Google Search remain accessible.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, called the fine symbolic, emphasizing Moscow’s discontent with YouTube’s restrictions on Russian media. Russia has warned of a potential YouTube ban if the platform continues restricting Russian channels.
