- Russia blocks access to FaceTime and Roblox
- This comes a few days after threatening a complete ban on WhatsApp.
- Russia is also stepping up its efforts to detect and restrict VPNs
Russia continues to expand its crackdown on digital freedom, this time blocking two more major Western platforms: FaceTime and Roblox. The move is already a major disruption to the way millions of Russians communicate and play online, with users reporting sudden outages and connection failures on both services.
However, it is far from being an isolated country. Since 2022, a steady stream of restrictions has targeted Western apps, networks and services, with Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor threatening a complete block of WhatsApp just a few days ago.
While authorities motivate the blocks as a way to stop terrorism and protect children’s safety online, the restrictions are reshaping digital life across Russia, isolating millions of Russians from global technology platforms. And while all this pushes citizens towards Like best VPN apps, VPN usage is also increasingly under threat.
Social apps under fire: Roblox and FaceTime join the banned list
Roskomnadzor has reportedly officially added two large Western-owned platforms, Roblox and FaceTime, on your list of prohibited services.
As PakGazette reported, on Dec. 3, Roskomnadzor said Roblox was being blocked because the platform allegedly exposes children to sexual harassers and spreads “extremist materials” and “LGBT propaganda,” claiming it contains content that could harm children’s “spiritual and moral development.”
For a service with more than 151 million daily active users worldwide, many of whom are children and teenagers, the ban is a blow to Russia’s youngest online community.
Meanwhile, authorities also allege that FaceTime is used to organize terrorism, recruit criminals and conduct fraud.
There have been users reporting failed FaceTime calls starting in September, when restrictions were also reported on Telegram and WhatsApp, suggesting that the FaceTime block may have been quietly implemented before the platform’s official ban.
For many Russians, especially young people and families, the recent Roblox and FaceTime bans dramatically reduce their digital socialization and communication options.
As Roskomnadzor increasingly blocks or throttles foreign platforms, many Russians are being pushed toward state-backed alternatives like MAX. The messaging app was mandated to be pre-installed on all phones sold in the country and is being actively promoted as a “safe” domestic replacement.
However, critics warn that MAX lacks the privacy and freedom offered by its encrypted Western counterparts. This has led to growing concerns about state surveillance and the loss of secure communication tools.
VPN access remains possible, but state pressure increases
For now, VPN services remain one of the few ways for Russians to regain access to blocked platforms like FaceTime and Roblox. This offers a potential lifeline for communication and entertainment under increasing state censorship. However, that lifeline is also becoming increasingly fragile.
Rokomnadzor has intensified its efforts this year to identify and block VPN traffic. Its TSPU filtering system now detects many VPN protocols, meaning that many previously working services are routinely throttled or even completely unusable.
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Additionally, new laws have made sharing information on how to bypass censorship blocks (even via VPN) punishable. Despite these efforts by Russian authorities, some VPNs continue to adapt. They typically rely on “stealth” or obfuscation techniques that make their traffic harder to detect.
Designed to work exactly in highly censored environments, Russian provider Amnezia VPN has started offering a 50% discount on a six-month Premium subscription for Russian users whose existing VPNs have stopped working. This offering highlights how important censorship-resistant VPNs have become for maintaining access to blocked platforms.
