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In a continued campaign to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian regulators have cut off access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were utilized to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism within the country, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator reported it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, although the decision was only reported later.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

These latest moves are part of previous blocks against major platforms including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of bans began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken deliberate and comprehensive strategies to curtail the open internet. This has included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Banning online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Perfecting technology to track and influence digital communications.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was throttled previously in what experts called deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, authorities tightened connectivity with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was required to counter drone strikes, but critics argued a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Authorities has also acted against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Additionally, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the measure by saying the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Observers see it as a possible tool for oversight. The service openly declares it will share user data with officials when asked, and analysts note it does not use strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label mandates that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and allow Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Those failing to meet these demands are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a related action, the authorities announced it was banning Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with close to 8 million players.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.