Russia Blocks Snapchat and Limits Apple's FaceTime, Regulators Report

Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over online communications, Russian regulators have restricted access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were being used to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes against citizens.

The regulator reported it initiated the block against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the move was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves follow similar limitations targeting popular services like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of bans intensified following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging efforts to control the open internet. This has included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was throttled last year in a case of intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, officials tightened internet access with extensive outages of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was needed to prevent drone strikes, but experts saw it as a further measure to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

The government has also acted against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Furthermore, officials outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by claiming the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Experts view it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will provide user information with the government upon request, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation requires that such services have an account with the regulator and allow state security with entry to user data. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that further services failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Also Targeted

In a related development, the authorities announced it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million monthly users.

Although it is still possible to bypass certain of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.