Russian Court Hits Google With Staggering $20 Decillion Fine—Combined Wealth Of Every Nation On Earth X 2

A penalty that’s truly "out of this world!"

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• October 31, 2024

In an era where billion-dollar fines for tech giants seem almost routine, Russia’s recent ruling against Google might just be the jaw-dropper of the century.

Imagine a debt so enormous that even one of the world’s wealthiest companies couldn’t fathom covering it—not in a year, not in a lifetime, and certainly not by breaking open the piggy bank. This isn’t a typical regulatory slap on the wrist. It’s a demand that, on paper, could easily dwarf the net worth of every corporation on earth combined.

The surreal story unfolded in a Russian courtroom, where a judge ruled that Google must compensate Russian television networks for blocking their channels on YouTube. The sum? Two undecillion rubles ($20 Decillion). That’s a figure with 36 zeros!

This staggering penalty came as a response to Russia’s ongoing dissatisfaction with Google’s role in controlling access to content, particularly as it relates to state-owned media channels. To put it into perspective, Google would need far more than just deep pockets—it would need to essentially own the world’s entire wealth several times over to cover it.

The court’s decision, issued on October 28, spotlights the strained relationship between Russia and Western companies. Google has faced various fines and blockades in the past, but nothing on this scale.

For now, the fine is more symbolic than actionable. But it raises important questions: Could fines ever really reach this level? And if they did, what would it mean for freedom of information and content regulation across borders? Only time will tell.

Google will need more than 10 times their net worth to even scratch the surface

The court had initially decided that Google would face a penalty of 100,000 rubles ($1,026) each day that access to the Russian TV channels remained restricted. To up the ante, the amount would double every week, spiraling upwards at an exponential rate.

Fast forward to today, and we’ve reached a mind-bending total. Yes, that’s right: $20,565,635,200,000,003,000,000,000,000,000,000.

So, unless Google has a hidden stash of wealth on some undiscovered planet, the idea of them settling this “bill” is beyond improbable. Social media users have jumped on the absurdity of it all, laughing off the possibility of Google ever paying this fantastical sum.

It’s a situation straight out of financial science fiction, where numbers like these make headlines but won’t be reflected in anyone’s account balance—least of all Google’s.

Social media is buzzing with one big question: will Google even consider seeking any form of settlement?

One amused commenter quipped, “That amount is around 9 billion times more than all the money and gold reserves on Earth—I want to smoke what those judges were smoking, and I want to smoke it now!!”

Another joined the fray, asking, “So, what’s next? Is Russia planning to invade Google? It will be a one-sided war for Google."

“Oh, no... anyway,” shrugged a third commenter, as if summarizing the collective sigh of disbelief.

The road to this unimaginable fine began back in 2020 when Russian media companies took Google to court after it blocked access to Tsargrad TV, an ultranationalist news outlet, and the infamous Internet Research Agency.

This legal action, detailed in a Novaya Gazeta report, set off a chain of fines that Google has been racking up daily ever since.

Now, with 17 Russian TV channels filing separate claims, as reported by RBC News, the stakes continue to rise, pushing the surreal story of Google’s “debt” to Russia further into the spotlight.

Jesse