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In a ongoing campaign to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian regulators have restricted access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses against citizens.

Officials reported it initiated the block on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions are part of previous restrictions against popular services including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have engaged in systematic and multi-pronged efforts to control the internet. This has included:

• Passing tough new laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that fail to comply with state demands.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Service for YouTube was throttled last year in what experts called targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened internet access with extensive disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Regulators has also acted against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by claiming the two apps were being involved in criminal activities.

Concurrently, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts see it as a potential surveillance tool. The app openly declares it will hand over data with officials if demanded, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation obligates that such services register with Roskomnadzor and allow the FSB with entry to communications. Services failing to meet these demands are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and warned that further services failing to cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Also Affected

In a separate development, the government reported it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million active users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are also often blocked by authorities as well.