Russia has blocked access to Roblox, FaceTime, adn Snapchat, escalating its crackdown on foreign dialog services. The move follows threats against WhatsApp, which Russia also โseeks to restrict,โ as it pushes citizens toward domestic alternatives.
For years, Russian authorities have โขsystematically limited access toโฃ popular foreign messaging apps, including long-standing restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram, and a block on Signal and Viber implemented last year. Moscow aims to diminish reliance on non-Russian technology and encourage adoption of domestically developed platforms like Messenger โคMax, intended to supplant WhatsApp โคand Telegram. This latest wave of โฃblocking impacts widely used โsocial and gaming platforms, โฃaffecting millions of Russian users and โsignalingโค a potential broadening of the government’s digital control. The future holds โuncertainty as to whether โthese blocks represent the culmination of โคcurrent efforts or the beginning of further restrictions.