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In a continued campaign to increase oversight over online communications, Russian officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were being used to plan and execute terrorist activities on Russian soil, to enlist people and carry out fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

The regulator stated it enforced the restriction on Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was only made public on Thursday.

Wider Context of Online Restrictions

These latest moves are part of previous restrictions against popular services such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship intensified in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken deliberate and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Advancing technology to track and influence online traffic.

Recent Examples of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was disrupted previously in an incident described as deliberate throttling by officials. Authorities blamed Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

Recently, officials further restricted internet access with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was required to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts contended a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also acted against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the platforms were being involved in crime.

At the same time, authorities have championed a dubbed "national" communication platform called Max. Experts see it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform openly declares it will share user data with the government if demanded, and analysts note it does not use strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label requires that such services register with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the service as "expected" and stated that further services failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a separate development, the government also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million monthly users.

Although it remains possible to get around a few of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, such tools are also often blocked by the regulator as well.