Russia's antitrust agency (FAS) has fined Google 4 billion rubles, signaling an increasingly aggressive stance against foreign tech companies. Google was previously fined 2 billion rubles in February 2022. According to FAS, Google's YouTube used a "non-transparent, biased and unpredictable" approach to "suspending and blocking user accounts and content."
Google has appealed the decision. The FAS said that Google's fine has been doubled due to non-payment. This means the US company will have to pay 4 billion rubles to the Russian budget.
YouTube is under intense pressure from Russian authorities, although Moscow has not banned the video- sharing platform as it has done with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Google stopped selling online advertising in Russia in March 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine but has kept some services free. Its Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy after authorities seized its bank accounts, leaving it unable to pay employees and partners.
Google must pay the fine within 60 days, TASS news agency reported.
(According to Reuters)
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