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As part of a continued effort to tighten control over online communications, state regulators have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were employed to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud and other crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, even though the announcement was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions come after comparable restrictions against popular services such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship began in earnest after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken systematic and comprehensive strategies to curtail the internet. This has included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Blocking online services that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technology to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed in the past in what experts called targeted interference by officials. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, officials further restricted internet access with widespread disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government claimed this was required to counter drone strikes, but analysts contended an additional move to assert dominance over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by claiming the platforms were being involved in criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers see it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform admits it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with access to communications. Those failing to do so are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Too Targeted

In a related move, the government announced it was blocking Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly eight million players.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these limitations by using VPN services, such tools are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.