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In a continued effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian authorities have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist acts within the country, to enlist people and carry out fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

The regulator said it initiated the block against Snapchat on October 10, though the decision was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of similar blocks targeting major platforms like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship escalated following the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and multi-pronged efforts to rein in the digital space. Measures have included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting technology to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in a case of deliberate throttling by the authorities. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, officials limited connectivity with extensive shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was needed to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued another step to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also targeted widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, authorities prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by stating the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

At the same time, the state have championed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform admits it will share user data with the government when asked, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation obligates that such services register with Roskomnadzor and provide state security with entry to user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that possibly many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that further services failing to cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Too Affected

In a separate action, the authorities announced it was restricting Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million players.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by employing virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by officials as well.