Russia Blocks Snapchat and Limits Apple's FaceTime, State Media Say

Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, state regulators have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to plan and execute terrorist activities inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.

The regulator stated it enforced the restriction against Snapchat on October 10, even though the announcement was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action follow similar restrictions targeting major platforms including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in systematic and comprehensive strategies to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing online services that do not comply with state demands.
• Perfecting systems to observe and control digital communications.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was throttled last year in a case of intentional slowing by regulators. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials further restricted connectivity with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Authorities has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Furthermore, authorities banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by stating the platforms were being facilitating crime.

At the same time, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Critics regard it as a possible surveillance tool. The app explicitly states it will hand over data with officials when asked, and analysts note it does not use full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

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

This classification obligates that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and allow the FSB with entry to communications. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that potentially a large number of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and stated that further services failing to cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a related action, the authorities announced it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from illicit content. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million active users.

Although it remains possible to get around a few of these restrictions by employing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.