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In a sustained campaign to tighten control over online communications, state authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were being used to plan and execute terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Officials said it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, although the move was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

This recent action follow comparable restrictions against major platforms including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of restrictions intensified following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken systematic and wide-ranging strategies to control the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Banning online services that do not comply with Russian regulations.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was disrupted last year in an incident described as deliberate throttling by regulators. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited internet access with widespread outages of cellphone internet connections. Officials stated this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics saw it as an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Regulators has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. Furthermore, authorities prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by claiming the two apps were being facilitating crime.

At the same time, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts view it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will hand over data with the government if demanded, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification mandates that such services register with Roskomnadzor and grant the FSB with the ability to monitor communications. Those failing to meet these demands are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and warned that further services refusing to comply with authorities "face blocking – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a separate move, the authorities announced it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with close to eight million players.

Although it remains feasible to circumvent some of these restrictions by utilizing virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.