🔗 Share this article Russian Authorities Blocks Snapchat and Restricts Apple's FaceTime, Regulators Report Amid a continued effort to tighten control over internet access, state officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime. Stated Reasons for the Restrictions The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace. Officials reported it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the announcement was only made public more recently. Wider Context of Internet Control This recent action follow similar blocks imposed on key apps like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of bans escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Since Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued deliberate and comprehensive strategies to curtail the digital space. Measures have included: Adopting stringent legislation. Blocking online services that do not comply with state demands. Perfecting systems to track and influence online traffic. Other Examples of Blocks Service for YouTube was slowed previously in what experts called deliberate throttling by regulators. The Kremlin blamed YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia. This summer, authorities further restricted internet access with extensive outages of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but critics argued another step to increase control over the internet. Targeting Communication Platforms Regulators has also targeted popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. This year, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by claiming the services were being facilitating criminal activities. Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a potential tool for oversight. The app explicitly states it will hand over data with officials if demanded, and experts note it is not equipped with strong encryption. Legal Framework and Expert Commentary According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information". This label requires that such services register with Roskomnadzor and allow state security with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to do so are breaking the law and face blocking. Seleznev pointed out that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services refusing to comply with authorities "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable." Entertainment Platforms Too Affected In a related move, the authorities announced it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular gaming site in Russia in October, with nearly eight million players. While it remains feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are frequently targeted by authorities as well.