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Amid a ongoing effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian regulators have restricted access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities and other crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, although the announcement was publicly disclosed more recently.

Wider Context of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions come after similar restrictions targeting major platforms like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions escalated following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued deliberate and comprehensive strategies to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Developing systems to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Service for YouTube was slowed previously in what experts called deliberate throttling by the authorities. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with widespread shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was required to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts argued another step to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, authorities banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the services were being involved in crime.

Concurrently, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Experts view it as a potential tool for oversight. The platform admits it will hand over data with the government upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation requires that such services have an account with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps tens of millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and cautioned that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

In a related action, the government also said it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million active users.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these restrictions by employing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.