A Russian court has sentenced Google to a $98 million fine for repeatedly failing to remove content that is banned in Russia.
Throughout 2021 Russia has imposed many fines on technology companies for not following internet content rules in an effort to tighten the content displayed.
However, this is the first time a corporate court has imposed a fine based on the company's annual income in Russia.
Not only Google, the Russian court also fined Meta's subsidiary, Instagram, worth USD 27.15 million for a similar case.
According to a report from Reuters, Meta has been accused of failing to remove around 200 banned content while Google has 2,600.
The figures include posts promoting drug use as well as tutorials such as making improvised weapons and explosives, as well as anything about what and who designates an extremist or terrorist or the spread of gay propaganda.
Google has announced it will review the lawsuit documents from Russian courts before deciding how to proceed. Google has 10 days to file an appeal.
The ruling is an attempt by Moscow to exert a greater degree of control, not only over its national network but also the internet as a whole.
Russia also made a bigger showdown on January 1, when authorities there demanded that tech companies set up local servers for their online services.
