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As part of a ongoing crackdown to exert greater control over internet access, Russian regulators have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism within the country, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes against citizens.

The regulator reported it took action targeting Snapchat in early October, although the decision was only made public later.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

These latest moves are part of comparable blocks imposed on major platforms including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of censorship intensified in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in systematic and comprehensive initiatives to rein in the open internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Perfecting technology to observe and control internet traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in a case of intentional slowing by the authorities. Russian officials attributed the issue to Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited internet access with broad outages of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but experts saw it as another step to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Platforms

Authorities has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, authorities prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the ban by stating the two apps were being involved in illegal activities.

At the same time, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers view it as a possible surveillance tool. The app admits it will share user data with officials upon request, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

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

This classification requires that such services register with the regulator and provide the FSB with access to communications. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that possibly tens of millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and stated that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

In a separate development, the authorities announced it was restricting Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million monthly users.

While it remains feasible to circumvent some of these limitations by employing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by officials as well.