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

Official Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were utilized to plan and execute terrorist activities inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator said it took action on Snapchat in early October, although the decision was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions are part of comparable blocks targeting key apps like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of bans intensified after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued systematic and comprehensive strategies to curtail the open internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Blocking websites and platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Advancing systems to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Service for YouTube was throttled previously in an incident described as targeted interference by officials. Authorities attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted internet access with widespread shutdowns of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was needed to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Platforms

The government has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by stating the platforms were being facilitating crime.

At the same time, the state have actively promoted a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Critics view it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will share user data with the government when asked, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification mandates that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and provide the FSB with the ability to monitor communications. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that perhaps tens of 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 "expected" and warned that other platforms refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Platforms Too Targeted

In a separate action, the authorities reported it was blocking Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million active users.

While it is still possible to get around a few of these limitations by employing VPN services, those are frequently targeted by officials as well.