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As part of a continued campaign to exert greater control over online communications, state officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that these services were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts inside Russia, to enlist people and commit fraud and other crimes against citizens.

The regulator reported it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, though the decision was only made public more recently.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action are part of similar blocks imposed on popular services such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken deliberate and multi-pronged efforts to control the internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Developing technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was throttled last year in what experts called intentional slowing by regulators. Russian officials blamed Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

This summer, authorities further restricted internet access with extensive outages of cellular data connections. The government claimed this was needed to counter drone strikes, but experts contended an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

The government has also acted against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Furthermore, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the ban by claiming the services were being used for illegal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have championed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Critics regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The service openly declares it will hand over data with officials when asked, and analysts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation requires that platforms establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and grant state security with entry to communications. Those failing to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that possibly a large number of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms failing to cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Too Affected

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was banning Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million active users.

Although it is still possible to get around a few of these restrictions by utilizing VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.