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In a continued campaign to exert greater control over online communications, Russian authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were being used to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator said it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat on October 10, although the announcement was publicly disclosed more recently.

Wider Context of Internet Control

This recent action come after comparable limitations targeting key apps including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued systematic and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the open internet. This has included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was throttled last year in what experts called intentional slowing by regulators. The Kremlin pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with extensive disruptions of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was needed to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts contended a further measure to assert dominance over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Regulators has also targeted popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in this year. This year, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the ban by stating the services were being used for crime.

Simultaneously, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The app openly declares it will provide user information with the government upon request, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification requires that such services establish a presence with the regulator and allow the FSB with entry to user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that possibly many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

As another action, the government announced it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with nearly eight million active users.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.