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Russia has imposed new restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime. The country's internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, says that FaceTime is being used in the country for terrorist activities, inciting unrest, fraud, and other crimes. For this reason, the government has limited access to the service. Apple has not yet commented on this decision.

Snapchat also blocked
Roskomnadzor also announced that it has blocked the popular messaging app Snapchat. The agency stated that the same objections applied to Snapchat as to FaceTime. Although this ban was imposed on October 10, the information was only made public now.

Increasing crackdown on the internet
Under President Vladimir Putin's rule, Russia is continuously increasing its control over the internet. The government has enacted several strict laws, and websites or platforms that do not comply with these rules are blocked. The technology used to monitor and control online traffic has also been strengthened. In 2022, after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia also banned major social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Impact on YouTube
Last year, YouTube's speed was deliberately slowed down in Russia, a practice experts call throttling. However, the government blamed Google for this. Although people can still access some sites with the help of VPNs, Russia periodically blocks VPN services as well.

Control over mobile internet
This summer, mobile internet was shut down on a large scale in several regions of Russia. The government claimed that this step was taken to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks.

However, experts believe that this is an attempt to further increase control over the internet. In many areas, a whitelist of only government-approved websites was issued, and people could only access these sites.

Action against messaging apps
In recent years, Russia has also taken action against several popular messaging apps. In 2024, Signal and Viber were blocked. In 2025, the calling feature on WhatsApp and Telegram was banned. The government stated that these apps were being used for criminal activities.

Promoting the domestically developed messenger MAX
Amidst these circumstances, the government is promoting its new domestic app, MAX. This app offers messaging, payments, government services, and several other features. However, critics say that this app appears to be a platform designed for surveillance, as it can provide user data to the government when needed. Furthermore, this app lacks end-to-end encryption.

Popular gaming platform Roblox also blocked
This week, Russia also blocked the popular gaming platform Roblox. The government claims that this step was taken to protect children from illegal content and online predators (pedophiles).

Why were FaceTime and Roblox blocked?
According to cybersecurity expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law considers any messaging platform an "information dissemination organizer." This means that every such app or platform has to comply with certain strict rules, such as:

They must register with Roskomnadzor (Russia's internet monitoring agency).

The platform must provide user account information to the security agency FSB when required.

If a company does not comply with these rules, Russia blocks it.

According to experts:
Roblox had approximately 8 million monthly users in Russia. FaceTime was also being used by millions of people. FaceTime usage increased significantly after calling features were disabled on WhatsApp and Telegram. Experts say that the ban on FaceTime was almost inevitable. They also believe that other platforms in Russia that do not comply with internet regulations may also be blocked soon.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.