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Amid a continued effort to exert greater control over online communications, state regulators have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.

The regulator stated it took action against Snapchat on October 10, although the decision was publicly disclosed more recently.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

These latest moves come after similar blocks against popular services including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of bans escalated in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued systematic and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the internet. This has included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing systems to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was disrupted in the past in what experts called targeted interference by the authorities. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited online access with widespread shutdowns of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was needed to thwart drone strikes, but analysts saw it as an additional move to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also acted against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the platforms were being involved in crime.

At the same time, authorities have championed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The platform openly declares it will provide user information with officials upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

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

This label obligates that such services have an account with the regulator and grant state security with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps a large number of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

As another move, the government also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing child protection from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million players.

While it remains feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by utilizing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by officials as well.