A Russian court fined Google 2 rubles – two followed by 36 zeros – for restricting Russian state media channels on YouTube.
In dollars, this means the tech giant has been asked to pay $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
Despite being one of the richest companies in the world, this amount is much more than the $2 trillion that Google is worth.
In fact, it is much larger than the total global GDP, which the International Monetary Fund estimates at $110 trillion.
The fine has reached such a colossal level because – as the state news agency TASS explained – it is increasing rapidly all the time.
According to TASS, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted that he “can’t even pronounce this number” but urged “Google management to pay attention.”
The company did not comment publicly or respond to a BBC request for a statement.
Russian media outlet RBC reported that the fine imposed on Google was related to restricting the content of 17 Russian media channels on YouTube.
While this began in 2020, it escalated after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine two years later.
This led to the withdrawal of most Western companies from Russia, with doing business there severely restricted by sanctions.
Russian media outlets have also been banned in Europe, prompting Moscow to take retaliatory measures.
In 2022, Google’s local subsidiary was declared bankrupt and the company stopped providing its commercial services, such as advertising, in Russia.
However, its products are not completely banned in the country.
This development is the latest escalation between Russia and the American technology giant.
In May 2021, Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor accused Google of restricting YouTube’s access to Russian media outlets, including RT and Sputnik, and supporting “unlawful protest activity.”
Then, in July 2022, Russia fined Google 21.1bn rubles (£301m) for failing to restrict access to what it called “prohibited” material about the war in Ukraine and other content.
There is virtually no freedom of the press in Russia, with independent media and freedom of expression severely restricted.
