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Amid a continued crackdown to exert greater control over internet access, state officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were employed to plan and execute terrorist activities inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes against citizens.

The regulator said it initiated the block against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the decision was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

This recent action follow previous limitations targeting major platforms including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans intensified following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken calculated and wide-ranging initiatives to control the digital space. Actions have involved:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Developing systems to observe and control digital communications.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in a case of deliberate throttling by the authorities. The Kremlin blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities further restricted internet access with widespread outages of mobile internet connections. The government claimed this was required to counter drone strikes, but experts argued a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Regulators has also targeted popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, officials prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by saying the services were being used for criminal activities.

Concurrently, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Critics regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform openly declares it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation obligates that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and provide Russia's security service with entry to user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly tens of millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Platforms Also Affected

In a separate action, the government reported it was blocking Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia in October, with close to 8 million monthly users.

While it is still possible to bypass certain of these blocks by employing VPN services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.