A Russian court has fined Google $20 billion for blocking its content. The legal battle started in 2020 when YouTube blocked the nationalist Russian channel Tsargard.
RELATED STORIES: President Joe Biden Announces $225 Million Weapons Package For Ukraine In Fight Against Russian Airstrikes
According to The Register, the ban was enforced in accordance with U.S. sanctions against the channel’s owner. Tensions increased after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and YouTube decided to expand its ban to cover more Russian state-sponsored media. Google is facing lawsuits from seventeen media outlets for allegedly blocking their content. The Russian court found Google violated Article 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code, which penalizes tech companies for censorship on digital platforms.
Ivan Morozov, a lawyer representing the Russian media outlets, said that Google was ordered to reinstate the banned channels on YouTube, and the daily fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,025) has been increased and doubled due to the accumulation of compound interest.
“Google was called by a Russian court to administrative liability under Art. 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code for removing channels on the YouTube platform. The court ordered the company to restore these channels,”
RELATED STORIES: Brittney Griner Gave Her Wife A Chance To Divorce Her After Receiving Nine-Year Prison Sentence In Russia: ‘How Can I Ask Her To Wait?’
It is impossible for the tech company to pay the specific sum, but it is unclear if Google will meet their demands, considering its section in Russia shut down in 2022. Additionally, the case went viral on social media due to the large sum introduced in the lawsuit.
