Russian authorities have imposed restrictions on Apple’s FaceTime video‑calling service nationwide, marking the latest step in a sweeping government campaign to control digital communications. The state internet regulator says the ban responds to law‑enforcement claims that FaceTime has been used to “organize and conduct terrorist activities” and to facilitate fraud and other crimes.
This measure follows a series of bans and restrictions on other popular platforms: encrypted messaging and social‑media services such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Roblox, Viber, Signal, YouTube, and major social networks have already been blocked, restricted, or throttled in recent months.
Officials argue the clampdown is necessary to safeguard national security. But critics including cybersecurity experts and digital‑rights advocates warn the move is less about crime prevention and more about state surveillance and censorship. They note that the government has simultaneously rolled out a domestic messaging platform called MAX, which lacks end‑to‑end encryption and openly shares user data with security authorities.
For millions of Russians who relied on FaceTime (especially after bans on other platforms), the restrictions have disrupted everyday communication, raising alarms about privacy, free expression, and internet freedom as the government broadens its digital‑control infrastructure.
