🔗 Share this article

Amid a continued effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, state regulators have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to plan and execute terrorist acts within the country, to enlist people and carry out fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.

The regulator said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat on October 10, though the move was only made public more recently.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions follow similar restrictions against major platforms such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of bans began in earnest after the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and multi-pronged efforts to rein in the open internet. This has included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting technical capabilities to track and influence online traffic.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was throttled last year in a case of intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited internet access with extensive shutdowns of cellular data connections. The government insisted this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts saw it as an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, officials prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by claiming the two apps were being used for crime.

Simultaneously, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "national" communication platform called Max. Observers view it as a possible surveillance tool. The service explicitly states it will share user data with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it does not use full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label mandates that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and allow the FSB with entry to user accounts. Those failing to do so are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that possibly a large number of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and stated that further services refusing to comply with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a separate development, the authorities reported it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately eight million active users.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these limitations by using virtual private network services, such tools are also often blocked by the regulator as well.