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As part of a continued crackdown to increase oversight over internet access, state authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist acts inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it enforced the restriction against Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was only made public later.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions follow similar limitations against key apps like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of censorship escalated in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued deliberate and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking online services that fail to comply with local rules.
• Perfecting systems to observe and control internet traffic.

Other Examples of Restrictions

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in a case of targeted interference by officials. The Kremlin blamed Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities further restricted internet access with extensive disruptions of mobile internet connections. The government stated this was required to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts saw it as a further measure to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

The government has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in recently. Additionally, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the platforms were being involved in illegal activities.

At the same time, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Experts view it as a possible surveillance tool. The platform admits it will hand over data with officials if demanded, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation obligates that platforms have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with the ability to monitor user accounts. Services failing to meet these demands are in violation and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

In a related development, the authorities reported it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly eight million active users.

Although it remains feasible to circumvent some of these limitations by using VPN services, those are routinely blocked by officials as well.