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In a sustained crackdown to exert greater control over online communications, Russian regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist acts inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Officials reported it initiated the block against Snapchat in early October, even though the decision was only made public more recently.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

These latest moves come after previous restrictions targeting key apps such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued deliberate and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the open internet. Measures have included:

• Passing tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Perfecting systems to track and influence digital communications.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was throttled previously in a case of targeted interference by regulators. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited connectivity with widespread shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued another step to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

Authorities has also moved against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in recently. Furthermore, authorities banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by claiming the two apps were being used for crime.

Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Critics see it as a possible surveillance tool. The app openly declares it will share user data with authorities when asked, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label obligates that platforms have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with the ability to monitor user accounts. Services failing to do so are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and warned that further services refusing to comply with authorities "will be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a separate action, the government also said it was blocking Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia in October, with close to eight million monthly users.

Although it is still feasible to bypass certain of these restrictions by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by officials as well.