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Amid a sustained campaign to increase oversight over digital platforms, state authorities have cut off access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the decision was only made public later.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

This recent action come after previous limitations targeting key apps like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans intensified in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken calculated and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed in the past in a case of targeted interference by the authorities. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited online access with widespread disruptions of cellular data connections. The government insisted this was needed to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts argued a further measure to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the two apps were being involved in crime.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Critics see it as a potential tool for oversight. The service admits it will share user data with authorities upon request, and experts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with access to communications. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps a large number of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and cautioned that other sites failing to cooperate with authorities "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Also Affected

As another move, the authorities reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with close to 8 million active users.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these limitations by employing VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.