Russia Blocks Snapchat and Cracks Down on Apple's FaceTime, Regulators Report

Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over online communications, state authorities have cut off access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were utilized to plan and execute terrorist activities inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction on Snapchat in early October, though the decision was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions are part of previous restrictions imposed on key apps including Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship intensified following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in calculated and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the internet. Actions have involved:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that do not comply with local rules.
• Developing systems to observe and control online traffic.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was disrupted last year in a case of deliberate throttling by the authorities. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

This summer, authorities further restricted online access with widespread shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. Officials stated this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but experts argued an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. This year, authorities prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the two apps were being used for criminal activities.

Concurrently, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Experts see it as a potential surveillance tool. The service openly declares it will share user data with officials upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

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

This label obligates that such services have an account with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to comply are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev estimated that possibly many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and cautioned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate move, the government also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, citing child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular game platform in Russia last month, with approximately eight million monthly users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these limitations by employing VPN services, such tools are also often blocked by the regulator as well.