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Amid a continued campaign to increase oversight over online communications, state officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were utilized to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Officials said it initiated the block against Snapchat on October 10, though the announcement was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These latest moves come after comparable limitations imposed on major platforms like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued systematic and wide-ranging strategies to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing online services that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing systems to observe and control digital communications.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by regulators. Authorities pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted internet access with widespread shutdowns of mobile internet connections. Officials claimed this was needed to thwart drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to assert dominance over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Apps

The government has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Furthermore, officials banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by claiming the services were being used for crime.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Observers view it as a possible tool for oversight. The service explicitly states it will hand over data with authorities upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label mandates that such services have an account with the regulator and grant state security with access to communications. Services failing to meet these demands are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps tens of millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms failing to cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a related action, the government also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million active users.

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