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Amid a sustained campaign to tighten control over digital platforms, state officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials said it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, though the decision was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

This recent action are part of previous limitations targeting major platforms including Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions intensified after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued systematic and comprehensive efforts to curtail the internet. This has included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed previously in a case of intentional slowing by officials. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

This summer, authorities limited connectivity with extensive shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was necessary to thwart drone strikes, but analysts argued another step to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Furthermore, authorities prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the ban by stating the two apps were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Observers regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The service openly declares it will share user data with authorities when asked, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

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

This label mandates that platforms establish a presence with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to do so are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Too Affected

As another development, the government reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with close to eight million active users.

Although it is still feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by officials as well.