A Russian court imposed a $20 decillion fine on Google on Wednesday, claiming the tech giant blocked Russian state media content. The fine, which far exceeds global economic output, represents a symbolic message from Moscow against Western tech censorship, Breitbart reported.
The staggering sum, equating to the number two followed by 34 zeros, is substantially higher than the world's combined gross domestic product.
According to NBC News, a decillion is notably smaller than a googol — a term Google itself references, meaning a number with 100 zeros. Nevertheless, the fine is incomprehensibly larger than Google's market capitalization of $2.1 trillion, prompting NBC to jest, "It's the kind of fine you might want to pay in installments."
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, acknowledged the symbolic nature of the court's ruling.
"Although it is a specific amount, I cannot even say this number; it is rather filled with symbolism," he said in a statement on Thursday. Peskov added that Google should view the ruling as a warning to cease restricting Russian broadcasters on its platform.
The record-setting fine followed complaints from 17 Russian state media outlets after Google restricted access to their content. The complaint intensified after YouTube blocked several prominent Russian channels, including those previously owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a mercenary leader who was killed in an unexplained plane explosion in August 2023.
Prigozhin had fallen out of favor with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly before his death.
Legal experts in Russia hinted at a high-value judgment earlier this week, with one judge saying the fine would include "many, many zeroes." If Google fails to pay within nine months, the penalty will double daily. Moscow signaled that the company's digital presence in Russia would remain restricted until compliance is achieved.
Amid mounting tensions, Google's YouTube platform became inaccessible in Russia on Aug. 8, an action that has not yet been fully explained. The move followed a Russian lawmaker's threat to slow YouTube's speed by up to 70%, citing the platform's alleged disregard for Russian law.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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