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As part of a sustained crackdown to tighten control over online communications, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that these services were utilized to organize and conduct acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to enlist people and carry out fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials stated it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, although the move was only reported on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

This recent action come after comparable restrictions targeting major platforms like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions intensified after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued systematic and comprehensive initiatives to rein in the internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Perfecting systems to track and influence digital communications.

Other Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was throttled last year in an incident described as deliberate throttling by the authorities. Russian officials blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

This summer, authorities limited connectivity with widespread disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was necessary to counter drone strikes, but experts saw it as a further measure to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Platforms

Regulators has also targeted popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. Additionally, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the measure by stating the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Critics regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app admits it will provide user information with the government when asked, and experts note it does not use full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label mandates that platforms establish a presence with the regulator and grant the FSB with access to communications. Platforms that fail to do so are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that perhaps a large number of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and stated that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

In a separate action, the government reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million active users.

Although it is still feasible to get around a few of these blocks by using VPN services, VPNs themselves are frequently targeted by authorities as well.