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As part of a sustained crackdown to exert greater control over digital platforms, state authorities have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were being used to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor reported it enforced the restriction against Snapchat on October 10, though the announcement was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These latest moves follow comparable restrictions against major platforms including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of restrictions began in earnest after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and multi-pronged strategies to curtail the internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Banning online services that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Perfecting systems to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in a case of intentional slowing by the authorities. The Kremlin blamed Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited connectivity with broad outages of mobile internet connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but experts argued an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Authorities has also acted against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by claiming the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Critics view it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform admits it will provide user information with the government upon request, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label obligates that such services register with Roskomnadzor and provide state security with access to communications. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms refusing to comply with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a separate action, the government reported it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia in October, with nearly eight million monthly users.

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