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As part of a ongoing crackdown to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian authorities have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were being used to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it took action on Snapchat in early October, although the decision was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These latest moves follow similar restrictions targeting major platforms such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans escalated following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken calculated and wide-ranging initiatives to curtail the digital space. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Developing technology to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was disrupted in the past in an incident described as deliberate throttling by officials. Authorities blamed Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, officials limited internet access with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials claimed this was required to prevent drone strikes, but critics saw it as an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. This year, authorities outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by saying the two apps were being used for crime.

Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Critics view it as a potential monitoring instrument. The service openly declares it will provide user information with officials upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label requires that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and allow Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user data. Services failing to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that possibly many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other platforms refusing to comply with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate action, the authorities also said it was banning Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million players.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these restrictions by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by the regulator as well.