According to Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor, the American internet major was fined by the Tagansky District Court for its failure in not removing fake news, particularly on the YouTube platform, about the ongoing Russian military conflict with Ukraine

Google_office_building_1265_Crossman,_Sunnyvale (5)

An office building of Google in Sunnyvale, California. (Credit: Grendelkhan/Wikimedia Commons)

Google has been fined RUB21.1bn ($373m) by a Moscow court over allegations of its repeated failure in removing content that is deemed by Russia to be illegal.

The fine levied by the Tagansky District Court on the American internet company was announced by Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor.

According to the regulator, Google was fined for not removing fake news about the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine. The court ruled that the internet major breached the procedure for restricting access to information recognised by the Russian government as prohibited.

Roskomnadzor said that the court, in particular, found that YouTube did not curb access to various materials that had prohibited content within the prescribed period. In March 2022, the regulator threatened to fine Google over its failure to delete “illegal” videos on the YouTube platform.

The Tagansky District Court has charged Google with allowing fake videos to run about the course of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, which discredited the Russian forces.

Besides, the court agreed to Roskomnadzor’s charges that the materials allowed to be shown on YouTube promoted terrorism and extremism, promoted an indifferent attitude to the life and health of minors, as well as showed information with appeals, including to minors, to take part in unauthorised mass actions.

The regulator said that the fine imposed on Google was calculated on the basis of its annual turnover in Russia.

Roskomnadzor stated: “Google and its information resources are regularly held administratively liable for violations of Russian law in terms of failure to remove prohibited information. The total amount of fines Google for such offenses exceeds 7.2 billion rubles.

“Of these, 68 million rubles under Part 2 and Part 4 of Art. 13.41 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and a turnover fine in the amount of 7.22 billion rubles for a repeated offense (the fine was recovered from the company).”

In May 2022, Google said that it intended to close its Russian operations. The internet company stated that its assets in Russia were seized by government authorities, thereby making it untenable for sustaining its operations.

Last month, Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy.