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As part of a continued crackdown to increase oversight over internet access, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were being used to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction against Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was only made public later.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves are part of comparable restrictions against major platforms including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of bans began in earnest after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in systematic and wide-ranging initiatives to rein in the internet. Actions have involved:

• Passing tough new laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Developing systems to track and influence online traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in a case of intentional slowing by regulators. Russian officials blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials limited connectivity with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. The government insisted this was needed to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics saw it as a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, officials prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the two apps were being used for illegal activities.

At the same time, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Critics see it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will hand over data with authorities when asked, and experts note it does not use full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any platform where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label obligates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and provide state security with access to user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps tens of millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate action, the authorities announced it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million active users.

While it is still feasible to bypass certain of these limitations by employing virtual private network services, such tools are routinely blocked by authorities as well.