Russia: FaceTime and Snapchat banned for “use in terrorist activities”

Milan, 4 December (LaPresse/AP) – Russian authorities say they have imposed restrictions on Apple’s FaceTime video calling service. The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor said the service “is used to organise and carry out terrorist activities on the country’s territory, recruit criminals and commit fraud and other crimes against our citizens”. The Russian agency also announced that it has blocked Snapchat, a messaging app for sharing photos, videos and text messages, citing the same reasons given for restricting FaceTime. The announcement represents another step in Moscow’s ongoing efforts to control the internet and online communications. In recent years, Russia has adopted restrictive laws and blocked non-compliant websites and platforms. After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the government blocked major social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Access to YouTube was also disrupted. The authorities further restricted internet access with widespread blackouts of mobile phone connections.