This month, Google was smacked with two significant fines from Russia totaling $383 million. According to Reuters, Russia’s competition authority penalized Google $33 million on Tuesday and declared that the internet giant had violated competition regulations with its YouTube video platform.
The Big Issue
One week prior, Russia fined Google $350 million for failing to take down content that the country’s media watchdog Roszkomnador claimed constituted “fake news” about its invasion of Ukraine.
Power Moves
Although it ceased selling ads in the area in March and removed Russian state media apps from its European app store, Russia looks to be increasing pressure on the company, which is one of the few US Big Tech companies to continue maintain a service in Russia since the start of the crisis in Ukraine.
Following the seizure of its bank account by local authorities, Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in May. According to Reuters, a Russian court also fined Google $249,000 in June for violating a Russian statute requiring computer companies to localize customer data.