The Fines That Make Monopoly Money Look Like Chump Change
In a dazzling display of judicial creativity, a Russian court has decided to fine Google a staggering two undecillion roubles—yes, that’s a two followed by 36 zeroes. If that numerical gymnastics isn’t impressive enough, in dollar terms, it translates into a mind-boggling $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Talk about a hefty fee for a video platform!
For some context, even though Google boasts a net worth of around $2 trillion, this fine is approximately 10,000 times more than their entire market valuation. Just a casual afternoon spent making legal history, all while the world’s GDP sits comfortably at about $110 trillion. Time to revise those economic textbooks, folks!
Now, why the astronomical fine, you ask? Because it’s wearing a supercharged growth spurt! The state news agency Tass has helpfully pointed out that this fine is more of a ballooning figure than a static one. Just think of it as the inflation rate’s evil twin, scoring a victory in the realm of fine-dining legal fees.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov candidly confessed that he “cannot even pronounce this number.” I mean, who can blame him? Perhaps he should take a lesson from math class—though his advice to “pay attention” to this numerical behemoth feels a bit like asking a cat to focus on arithmetic.
The fine is linked to Google’s annoying habit of blocking 17 Russian media channels on YouTube. This little kerfuffle began back in 2020 but really kicked into high gear when Russia decided to throw a tantrum and invade Ukraine, prompting many Western companies to take flight. And just like that, Western sanctions became the hottest trend in town.
Since then, Russian media outlets have faced bans across Europe, bringing a whole new level of irony to the term “media freedom.” In 2022, Google’s Russian subsidiary was declared bankrupt, and the company pulled its services out of the country entirely. However, don’t worry—Google products are still sort of available. It’s like having a buffet where most dishes are off-limits but a salad bar remains open.
This number-spangled saga is merely the latest chapter in the tumultuous relationship between Russia and the tech giant. In May 2021, Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, accused Google of “supporting illegal protest activity.” In July 2022, they slapped Google with a mere 21.1 billion roubles (or around £301 million) for not helping them control the narrative about the Ukraine war. Because, you know, nothing says “free speech” like being heavily fined for your opinions.
