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As part of a sustained effort to increase oversight over internet access, Russian regulators have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

The regulator reported it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, even though the announcement was only reported more recently.

Broader Context of Internet Control

This recent action come after comparable limitations imposed on popular services including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and comprehensive efforts to control the digital space. Measures have included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Developing technology to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in what experts called deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, authorities tightened connectivity with broad outages of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was needed to counter drone strikes, but analysts argued an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Regulators has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the measure by saying the services were being facilitating criminal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have championed a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Critics regard it as a possible monitoring instrument. The platform openly declares it will provide user information with the government upon request, and experts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

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

This classification requires that platforms establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and allow the FSB with entry to communications. Services failing to comply are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that possibly tens of millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "predictable" and warned that further services that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Affected

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was blocking Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular gaming site in Russia recently, with close to 8 million monthly users.

While it remains possible to get around a few of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, those are frequently targeted by authorities as well.