Russia fines Google $360 million for failing to block “false information”

Google has been fined $360 million by a Moscow court for failing to block content containing “false information.” Russia telecommunication regulators, Roskomnadzor, said Google failed to remove or block content on its video platform YouTube despite several warnings.

“Google-owned video platform YouTube had failed to block false information on the offensive in Ukraine, extremist and terrorist propaganda, and content calling on minors to participate in unauthorized demonstrations,” Roskomnadzor said.

According to Agence France-Presse, this was a repeat conviction for Google, and the fine was based on its annual revenue in Russia. It is said the fine is the largest ever imposed on a Western tech firm by a Russian court.

In May, Google filed for bankruptcy and quit Russia to denounce the nation’s military intervention in Ukraine.

According to Vladimir Zykov, a Russian TV expert, “Russian authorities can impose on Google as many fines as they wish, they won’t receive the money as the firm has pulled out of the country.”

Russia started its invasion of Ukraine in February and banned social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram for spreading “false information” about the Russian military. The country has also banned Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky from entering the country.

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