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In a continued campaign to increase oversight over digital platforms, Russian regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist acts on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it initiated the block on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the move was only made public more recently.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

This recent action are part of previous blocks imposed on key apps like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship intensified in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken systematic and comprehensive initiatives to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Developing technical capabilities to track and influence internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted in the past in an incident described as deliberate throttling by the authorities. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, authorities further restricted online access with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to prevent drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. Furthermore, authorities banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the action by stating the services were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers view it as a potential surveillance tool. The platform explicitly states it will provide user information with the government upon request, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

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

This classification requires that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and provide the FSB with entry to user accounts. Services failing to do so are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other platforms refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Too Targeted

In a separate move, the authorities also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with close to 8 million players.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these restrictions by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by officials as well.