Google achieved a significant legal victory Wednesday. London’s High Court granted an injunction. This prevents the enforcement of Russian judgments against Google. These judgments stemmed from account closures. Judge Andrew Henshaw granted a permanent anti-enforcement injunction. Google and YouTube’s terms require disputes in English courts.
Russian Fines Reach Astronomical Proportions
Henshaw’s written ruling highlighted extreme financial penalties. Google Russia’s liquidator estimated some fines. These reached 20 trillion times the global GDP. This staggering figure underscores the case’s importance.
Background of the Legal Dispute of Google
Tsargrad TV, a channel owned by Konstantin Malofeev, sued them in 2022. Malofeev faces sanctions. RT filed a similar case two years later. These channels, alongside Spas TV, won judgments. These included “astreinte penalties.” These penalties escalate rapidly with non-payment. Their lawyers described the penalties. Some reached an undecillion of roubles (36 zeroes).
Attempts at Global Enforcement Thwarted
The three channels tried enforcement in various countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, and Vietnam. These attempts began in late 2023. The UK injunction now blocks these efforts.
Google’s Actions Regarding the War in Ukraine
They stopped Russian ad services in March 2022. They paused the monetization of harmful content. This content exploited, dismissed, or condoned Russia’s war. They blocked over 1,000 YouTube channels. These included state-sponsored news. They also removed over 5.5 million videos. This demonstrates Google’s stance on the conflict. The injunction protects Google from disproportionate repercussions. It reinforces the validity of their terms of service.
