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Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, Russian officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities on Russian soil, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities and other crimes against citizens.

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

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions follow similar blocks targeting key apps like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship intensified following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in calculated and wide-ranging strategies to control the digital space. Measures have included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Blocking digital platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing technology to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed previously in a case of deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities further restricted connectivity with broad outages of mobile internet connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but critics argued an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Authorities has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. Additionally, officials outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the action by claiming the platforms were being used for crime.

Concurrently, the state have championed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Critics see it as a potential monitoring instrument. The platform explicitly states it will share user data with authorities when asked, and experts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification requires that such services register with Roskomnadzor and grant the FSB with access to user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with authorities "face blocking – that is clear."

Entertainment Sites Too Affected

In a related action, the authorities also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with approximately eight million active users.

Although it is still feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by using VPN services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.