Russia fines Google more than total world GDP for blocking YouTube accounts | World news

Google has reportedly been fined more than two undemillion rubles – two followed by 36 zeros – after removing state-run and pro-government accounts from YouTube.

Put another way, an undemillion is a trillion times a trillion times a trillion.

The fine is far greater than the world’s total GDP, estimated at $110 trillion by the International Monetary Fund.

Google – as owner YouTube – has a current stock market cap of $2.16 trillion, so it probably won’t be dropping the buck anytime soon.

The fine is also still growing due to non-payment and if it is not paid within nine months, it will start doubling every day, reported the state news agency Tass.

The astonishing amount has grown because Google has not restored YouTube accounts belonging to 17 Russian TV channels, according to Russia’s RBC News.

It claims a judge in the case said at a court hearing on October 28 that he was considering “a case where there are many, many zeros”.

Google can reportedly only return to the Russian market if it complies with the court’s decision.

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The case was only filed privately in 2020 after the accounts of the Tsargrad TV channel and RIA FAN were blocked due to US sanctions laws, RBC reported.

It then escalated after the start of the Ukraine war, when YouTube blocked the accounts of Sputnik and RT, after which Russian authorities became involved.