Russia tightens control over online communications with FaceTime restrictions

On Thursday, Russian authorities announced new restrictions on Apples FaceTime, marking another move to assert control over digital communication within the country. The state internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, claimed the platform was being exploited to organize and execute terrorist activities, recruit offenders, commit fraud, and perpetrate other crimes against citizens.

Apple has not provided a response to requests for comment. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has systematically increased oversight of the internet, introducing restrictive legislation, blocking noncompliant websites, and employing technology to monitor and manipulate online activity.

Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, major social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have been blocked. YouTube access was also disrupted last year, reportedly due to deliberate throttling, with authorities attributing the issue to Googles failure to maintain hardware in Russia. Although some users circumvent restrictions via virtual private networks (VPNs), these services are frequently blocked as well.

This summer, authorities further limited internet access with broad shutdowns of mobile connections, citing protection against Ukrainian drone attacks, while analysts interpreted the moves as a continuation of internet control measures. White lists of approved websites and services were introduced in multiple regions to ensure access during shutdowns.

Messaging platforms have also been targeted. Signal and Viber were blocked in 2024, followed this year by WhatsApp and Telegram calls, which were prohibited under claims of criminal misuse. In parallel, the government has promoted the domestic messenger MAX, criticized as a surveillance tool that shares user data with authorities and lacks end-to-end encryption.

Earlier this week, Roblox, a widely-used online gaming platform, was also blocked, with authorities citing concerns about exposing children to inappropriate content and potential predators.

Cybersecurity lawyer Stanislav Seleznev explained that Russian law categorizes platforms enabling user messaging as information distributors, requiring them to register with Roskomnadzor and provide the FSB access to user accounts. Failure to comply can lead to blocking, a rule that could apply to both Roblox and FaceTime. In October, Roblox was Russias second most popular gaming platform, with nearly 8 million monthly users, while FaceTime may have tens of millions of Russian users, especially following the WhatsApp and Telegram call bans. Seleznev described the FaceTime restrictions as predictable and warned that other noncompliant platforms are likely to face similar blocks.

Author: Gavin Porter