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Amid a continued crackdown to tighten control over online communications, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were being used to plan and execute acts of terrorism within the country, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud and other crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Roskomnadzor said it initiated the block targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the move was only made public more recently.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions follow previous blocks against major platforms including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued deliberate and multi-pronged strategies to rein in the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Blocking online services that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technical capabilities to observe and control internet traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in a case of intentional slowing by the authorities. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials limited internet access with extensive shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Apps

The government has also moved against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Furthermore, authorities prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the action by claiming the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

Concurrently, the state have championed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Observers regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform openly declares it will hand over data with the government upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

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

This label requires that such services register with Roskomnadzor and grant state security with entry to user data. Services failing to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that perhaps tens of millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and cautioned that other sites failing to cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

As another action, the authorities also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million monthly users.

Although it remains possible to get around a few of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are frequently targeted by officials as well.