According to Business Insider, Russia’s internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, announced this week that it has blocked Snapchat and the gaming platform Roblox, while also imposing “restrictive measures” on Apple’s FaceTime. The agency stated Snapchat was blocked as of October 10, accusing it of being used to organize terrorist activities, recruit perpetrators, and commit fraud. It made a similar claim against Roblox on Wednesday, also citing the spread of “LGBT information,” which is legally considered extremist in Russia. Roskomnadzor said FaceTime is being used to coordinate terrorist activities and recruit terrorists. Roblox CEO Dave Baszucki noted in September 2022 that Russia contributed roughly 2 million of the platform’s daily active users. Apple and Snap Inc. did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russia’s Expanding Digital Siege
So here’s the thing: this isn’t really about Snapchat filters or kids building virtual worlds on Roblox. This is the latest, and frankly one of the weirder, steps in Russia’s long-running project to seal off its digital borders. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, they’ve systematically gone after international platforms—banning Signal, Meta’s WhatsApp and Instagram, and throttling YouTube. Now they’re targeting services popular with younger users. The stated reason is always the same: “extremist and terrorist” activity. But the unstated goal is total information control. Cutting off avenues for casual, encrypted, or external communication is a classic move for an authoritarian state at war. It’s about preventing coordination, yes, but also about stifling any narrative they don’t own.
The Conveniently Vague Threat
Look, the timing and target selection raise serious questions. The Kremlin now uses “terrorist” to describe everything from Ukrainian military actions to domestic partisan attacks. But as the article notes, it’s completely unclear if these latest blocks are tied to any specific event. Russia did suffer a horrific terrorist attack in March 2024 at a Moscow concert hall, claimed by ISIS-K. But linking that to Roblox or FaceTime? That’s a massive, unsubstantiated leap. It seems far more likely this is a blanket, pre-emptive action using the broadest possible legal justification they have. Branding LGBT content as “extremist” gives them another ready-made excuse. It’s a one-two punch: cite national security and “traditional values” to ban anything they find inconvenient.
The Business Impact and Silent Exits
And what about the companies? Roblox’s response is the standard corporate playbook: “We respect local regulations” and talk about “positive space.” But losing 2 million daily active users overnight is a hit, even if it’s a small percentage of their global total. More telling is the silence from Apple and Snap. At this point, for many Western tech firms, Russia is a market that’s more trouble than it’s worth. Between sanctions, payment hurdles, and now being labeled a tool for terrorism, the path of least resistance is often to just… go quiet. They can’t really fight the decision, and publicly protesting might make things worse for any employees still in the country. So they don’t comment. The pullout is slow, quiet, and pragmatic.
A Pattern of Isolation
Basically, this is the new normal. Russia is building its own splinternet, piece by piece. They’ve already restricted their own homegrown platform, Telegram, by limiting calls. They’re promoting domestic alternatives like VK. Each block makes the Russian internet a little smaller, a little more controlled. For the average user, especially a young one, it means fewer ways to connect with the outside world or access uncensored information. The “terrorism” justification is just the public-facing legal wrapper. The real project is insulation. And as that digital wall gets higher, understanding what’s happening on the other side—whether in industry, society, or even manufacturing sectors that rely on global tech—becomes exponentially harder for everyone else.
