Russian courts fine Google.....

[Kurokage]

Russia fines Google...

Russia has fined Google $2,500,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, or more money than actually exists on Earth, all because it's upset about some YouTube channels.What's the most shocking bill you've ever got in the post? Personally, I'm still financially recovering from winter 2022, when a dalliance with an electric heater landed a fat £300 invoice on my doorstep. I write about videogames and subsist on coal soup, and there was Octopus Energy sending me a bill it presumably intended for Jeff Bezos.
Could be worse, though. I could be the guy at Google who had to open its $2.5 decillion fine from the Russian government (via The Moscow Times). Yes, that's decillion, which is a one followed by 33 zeroes. That means Russia wants Google to pay it $2,500,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. The number in rubles is even more absurd: ₽2 undecillion, or two followed by 36 zeroes.
 For reference, the World Bank estimates the sum total of world GDP last year at $105,000,000,000,000—or one hundred and five trillion dollars. In 2017 (a while back, but not so far back that the numbers will be radically different today), MarketWatch generously valued the sum total of anything you could conceivably call 'money on Earth'—including cryptocurrencies, above-ground gold supply, and funds invested in financial products—at several quadrillions.

You may wonder how Google came to owe this ungodly sum to the Russian state. Per RBC it's because, erm, YouTube blocked some Russian channels. In 2020, pro-Kremlin media channels Tsargrad and RIA FAN (part of the Patriot Media Group formerly headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a stalwart Putin ally before he attempted to launch a coup last year and subsequently exploded in mid-air) won lawsuits against Google after the latter blocked their YouTube channels. The punishment? Daily penalties of ₽100,000, which doubled each week.

This is obviously a very sad and childish attempt by the Kremlin and Russian courts to 'attack' a western company for removing it's propaganda channels on Youtube, and I see no way Google even acknowledging this laughable fine. Do the members here think this will have any impact on Google and it's future. Once Putin is removed, do you think this will effect Googles future return to Russia?

[UltraBudgie]

Russia fines Google...

This is obviously a very sad and childish attempt by the Kremlin and Russian courts to 'attack' a western company for removing it's propaganda channels on Youtube, and I see no way Google even acknowledging this laughable fine. Do the members here think this will have any impact on Google and it's future. Once Putin is removed, do you think this will effect Googles future return to Russia?

Googles latest 10-Q is a fun read; legal liability is simply a cost of doing business to them. But they are explicitly not scared of Russia:

We are subject to claims, lawsuits, regulatory and government investigations, other proceedings, and consent
orders involving competition, intellectual property, data security, tax and related compliance, labor and employment,
commercial disputes, content generated by our users, goods and services offered by advertisers or publishers using
our platforms, personal injury, consumer protection, and other matters. For example, we periodically have data
incidents that we report to relevant regulators as required by law. Such claims, consent orders, lawsuits, regulatory
and government investigations, and other proceedings could result in substantial fines and penalties, injunctive
relief, ongoing monitoring and auditing obligations, changes to our products and services, alterations to our
business models and operations, and collateral related civil litigation or other adverse consequences, all of which
could harm our business, reputation, financial condition, and operating results.

We have ongoing legal matters relating to Russia. For example, civil judgments that include compounding
penalties have been imposed upon us in connection with disputes regarding the termination of accounts, including
those of sanctioned parties. We do not believe these ongoing legal matters will have a material adverse effect.

Someone's got their back.

https://abc.xyz/assets/ae/e9/75311005401...2-2024.pdf

[Maxmars]

Russia fines Google...

This is obviously a very sad and childish attempt by the Kremlin and Russian courts to 'attack' a western company for removing it's propaganda channels on Youtube, and I see no way Google even acknowledging this laughable fine. Do the members here think this will have any impact on Google and it's future. Once Putin is removed, do you think this will effect Googles future return to Russia?

I'm getting the impression that Russia is attempting to 'stay relevant' in the global news cycle.  All these hyperbolic articles seem to have popped up almost simultaneously... but that's not to say it's just a 'distraction,'... (just that it could be.)

This grievance is long-standing though.

[FlyersFan]

Kremlin = clown city.

And the people of Russia have been so socially engineered that they can't see what slaves they have become.

make russia small again - Volodymyr Zelenskyy

[UltraBudgie]

It is funny there is a thread "Snickers - How they are made", when the answer is right here.

I wonder what fish think the wettest fish is?

Is there a reason newspapers are called fish-wrap?

[Kurokage]

I'm getting the impression that Russia is attempting to 'stay relevant' in the global news cycle.  All these hyperbolic articles seem to have popped up almost simultaneously... but that's not to say it's just a 'distraction,'... (just that it could be.)

This grievance is long-standing though.

I agree, it does appear as though Putin is trying his best to keep Russia relevent and in the News/propaganda headlines to steer the reporting away from the econonmy, and trying to make the Russian people believe his hyperbole.

[Kurokage]

Kremlin = clown city.

And the people of Russia have been so socially engineered that they can't see what slaves they have become.

make russia small again - Volodymyr Zelenskyy

You say it all so perfectly.  

[Encia22]

They'll have to get in line behind me. Google owe me €0.08 for a Rewards questionnaire I answered and they never coughed up coin.  Bastards!  

[Kurokage]

They'll have to get in line behind me. Google owe me €0.08 for a Rewards questionnaire I answered and they never coughed up coin.  Bastards!  

I think you've got more chance than Russia in getting your owed finances.  

[Encia22]

Bloody hell, that was quick... they must have been listening and peed their pants.



The beers are on me!