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In a continued crackdown to tighten control over digital platforms, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were being used to organize and conduct terrorist acts within the country, to enlist people and commit fraud and other crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials reported it initiated the block on Snapchat on October 10, although the announcement was only reported on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of previous restrictions imposed on major platforms such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship intensified following the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and comprehensive initiatives to control the digital space. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Blocking online services that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Developing technical capabilities to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted last year in a case of deliberate throttling by regulators. The Kremlin blamed Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened connectivity with extensive shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued another step to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Authorities has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Additionally, authorities outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the measure by claiming the services were being involved in criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Observers regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app admits it will provide user information with the government if demanded, and experts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

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

This label obligates that platforms have an account with Roskomnadzor and allow Russia's security service with access to communications. Platforms that fail to do so are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that potentially tens of millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that further services failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was banning Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million monthly users.

While it remains feasible to get around a few of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.