Russia Blocks Snapchat and FaceTime in Expanding Crackdown

The country’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said the services were being used inside Russia “to organize and carry out terrorist acts” as well as to recruit individuals and assist in fraud and other crimes, per Bloomberg.

The latest move continues a broader campaign to limit foreign digital platforms that intensified after the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Russia has already banned major U.S.-based social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and X. It has also throttled access to YouTube and, just a day earlier, blocked the popular children’s gaming platform Roblox, according to Bloomberg.

Authorities have increasingly encouraged the shift toward domestic alternatives, including a new super app called Max developed by state-owned VK. The platform is designed to bundle services such as government access, banking, messaging and commercial features under Russian oversight.

The government has also threatened a full ban on WhatsApp — the country’s most widely used messaging platform — accusing it of local law violations. Efforts are underway to curb access to VPNs that help users bypass digital censorship.

When questioned by Bloomberg about additional restrictions targeting messaging apps, Russia’s digital and communications minister Maksut Shadayev declined to comment.

Source: Bloomberg