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Amid a sustained effort to tighten control over internet access, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities inside Russia, to enlist people and carry out fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was only reported later.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves follow similar restrictions targeting popular services like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship escalated in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the digital space. Actions have involved:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing online services that do not comply with local rules.
• Developing systems to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for YouTube was slowed last year in an incident described as targeted interference by officials. The Kremlin blamed YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, authorities further restricted connectivity with broad shutdowns of cellular data connections. The government claimed this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts saw it as an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Regulators has also acted against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, officials banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by stating the platforms were being used for criminal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Observers see it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app explicitly states it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it does not use full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation requires that such services register with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with access to user accounts. Those failing to do so are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a related action, the authorities announced it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million active users.

While it remains feasible to get around a few of these blocks by using VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by authorities as well.