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As part of a ongoing effort to tighten control over internet access, Russian authorities have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that these services were employed to organize and conduct terrorist acts on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, even though the decision was only made public later.

Broader Context of Internet Control

These new restrictions follow comparable blocks against major platforms like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of restrictions escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken systematic and comprehensive efforts to control the internet. This has included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technology to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in an incident described as intentional slowing by the authorities. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited internet access with widespread disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government claimed this was needed to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts saw it as another step to assert dominance over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Authorities has also acted against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, officials prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the ban by claiming the services were being involved in crime.

At the same time, authorities have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Critics regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The service admits it will provide user information with authorities upon request, and experts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label requires that such services establish a presence with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with access to communications. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps a large number of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

As another development, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with nearly eight million active users.

Although it remains feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.