Russia fines Google worth more than the world's gross domestic product, here's how big the fine is

Russian business newspaper RBC reported this week that 17 Russian TV channels had filed lawsuits in the country's courts, which imposed complex fines totaling an unfathomable amount of 34 zeroes.

By comparison, according to the International Monetary Fund, the total gross product of the entire world is estimated to be $110 trillion. Meanwhile, Google's umbrella company, Alphabet, has a market value of about $2 trillion.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted to reporters on Thursday that he "can't even pronounce this figure correctly," while saying the fine was "full of symbolism."

"Google should not restrict the activities of our broadcasters, and Google is doing that," he said.

Russian state news agency Tass reported this week that a Russian court had previously ordered Google to unblock YouTube channels or face increased fines. The fine has reached staggering figures because it doubles every week.

In August, the YouTube network service in Russia suffered a massive outage. YouTube is considered one of the few remaining networks where audiences in Russia can follow independent news. Moscow blocks independent online news sites, while freedom of the press has disappeared. Google did not respond to a VOA request for comment. /VOA

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