Russia Fines Google for Blocking Media Channels

Russia has issued an enormous fine on Google, claiming the amount surpasses even the total global GDP in scale.

The fine targets YouTube, a part of Google’s parent company Alphabet, for blocking Russian state-run media channels.

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This action follows YouTube’s decision to remove multiple Russian media accounts after Russia’s military action in Ukraine.

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The court ruled that Google violated local regulations by restricting access to these channels, prompting the unprecedented penalty.

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Authorities in Russia have requested YouTube to reinstate the channels promptly; otherwise, the fine could increase dramatically over time.

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This dispute traces back to March 2022, when YouTube globally banned hundreds of Russian channels citing policy violations.

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YouTube removed over 1,000 channels supporting Russia’s Ukraine operations and deleted more than 15,000 videos.

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Even before this global action, Russia had fined Google daily for non-compliance with local media regulations.

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The fines began in 2020, with a daily penalty applied for each violation of the country’s media laws.

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Russia continues to monitor YouTube closely, reinforcing strict rules to control access to content from official media sources.

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