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As part of a continued campaign to exert greater control over internet access, state authorities have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials reported it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, although the decision was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Context of Internet Control

This recent action follow comparable limitations imposed on popular services such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions escalated after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and comprehensive strategies to rein in the internet. This has included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Blocking online services that do not comply with local rules.
• Developing systems to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was throttled in the past in an incident described as deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin blamed YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

This summer, authorities further restricted connectivity with widespread disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government insisted this was required to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts saw it as a further measure to assert dominance over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Apps

The government has also targeted popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. Furthermore, authorities prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by stating the services were being involved in crime.

At the same time, the state have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a possible monitoring instrument. The service admits it will hand over data with officials upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

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

This classification obligates that platforms have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps tens of millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and stated that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Also Affected

In a separate development, the authorities announced it was banning Roblox, citing protecting children from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with close to 8 million monthly users.

While it is still feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by authorities as well.