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As part of a ongoing campaign to exert greater control over digital platforms, state authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were employed to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities on Russian soil, to enlist people and commit fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials stated it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was only reported later.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of similar restrictions targeting key apps like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions escalated after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to control the internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Perfecting systems to observe and control online traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was throttled in the past in an incident described as targeted interference by the authorities. Authorities pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, authorities further restricted internet access with widespread outages of cellphone internet connections. The government claimed this was required to prevent drone strikes, but analysts contended a further measure to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Platforms

The government has also targeted popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in 2024. This year, officials banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the platforms were being involved in crime.

At the same time, the state have actively promoted a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Observers view it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform explicitly states it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert 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 obligates that such services have an account with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with access to user data. Platforms that fail to do so are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that possibly tens of millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Too Affected

In a related development, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, citing child protection from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million active users.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these restrictions by utilizing VPN services, those are also often blocked by officials as well.