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Amid a ongoing effort to exert greater control over internet access, Russian officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that these services were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, to enlist people and commit fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it initiated the block targeting Snapchat on October 10, although the decision was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions are part of similar restrictions against popular services such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans escalated in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken calculated and wide-ranging strategies to curtail the open internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technology to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was throttled previously in a case of intentional slowing by the authorities. Russian officials blamed YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

This summer, authorities tightened connectivity with extensive disruptions of mobile internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to thwart drone strikes, but critics saw it as a further measure to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, authorities outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the measure by saying the two apps were being facilitating criminal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Critics see it as a possible tool for oversight. The service explicitly states it will hand over data with authorities when asked, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification mandates that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and allow state security with access to communications. Those failing to do so are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that perhaps a large number of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

In a related development, the government announced it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia in October, with close to 8 million monthly users.

Although it remains possible to circumvent some of these blocks by using VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.