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Amid a continued effort to tighten control over digital platforms, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the decision was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

These latest moves follow comparable limitations against popular services such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of bans began in earnest after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued deliberate and multi-pronged initiatives to control the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Developing technology to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Examples of Restrictions

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by regulators. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, officials further restricted online access with widespread outages of cellular data connections. The government stated this was required to prevent drone strikes, but analysts argued another step to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

The government has also moved against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Additionally, authorities banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by saying the two apps were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, the state have championed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers see it as a potential surveillance tool. The platform explicitly states it will share user data with the government upon request, and analysts note it lacks strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label obligates that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and allow state security with the ability to monitor communications. Those failing to comply are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly tens of millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Platforms Too Targeted

In a related development, the authorities reported it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million active users.

Although it is still possible to get around a few of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.