Russia Imposes $2.5 Decillion Fine on Google Over YouTube Channel Bans

MOSCOW — Russia has levied a record-breaking $2.5 decillion fine on Google for failing to restore access to YouTube channels belonging to pro-Kremlin media outlets, according to reports from Russian state media outlet RBC.

A decillion is a number represented by 1 followed by 33 zeros in the United States, or 1 followed by 60 zeros in some European countries. $2.5 decillion is a larger number than the amount of sand grains on planet Earth. According to a simple Google search, scientists estimate that the Earth contains 7.5 sextillion sand grains. 

The financial penalty began accruing daily in 2020 when Russian courts ruled against Google after pro-government media outlets Tsargrad and RIA FAN challenged YouTube’s decision to block their channels. The fines, initially set at 100,000 rubles per day, reportedly doubled weekly, culminating in the current astronomical figure. 

Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., restricted several Russian state-affiliated media channels on YouTube in response to their coverage of the 2022 Ukraine invasion. Moscow authorities retaliated with fines, stopping short of banning the platform altogether. In 2022, Google’s Russian subsidiary declared bankruptcy following these financial pressures and compliance with Western sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict.

Despite the massive fine, Alphabet’s annual revenue, over $307 billion in 2023, suggests it is unlikely to pay the unprecedented sum.