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In a sustained campaign to exert greater control over online communications, state authorities have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were employed to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator stated it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was only made public more recently.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves follow previous restrictions against major platforms such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in calculated and comprehensive efforts to curtail the digital space. Measures have included:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with state demands.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in what experts called deliberate throttling by the authorities. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted connectivity with extensive shutdowns of mobile internet connections. The government claimed this was needed to prevent drone strikes, but experts argued another step to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

Authorities has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. Additionally, authorities prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the two apps were being involved in illegal activities.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Experts view it as a possible surveillance tool. The service explicitly states it will share user data with authorities when asked, and experts note it lacks strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification requires that such services register with Roskomnadzor and provide state security with access to user accounts. Those failing to do so are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that potentially tens of millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and cautioned that other sites failing to cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

In a separate development, the authorities reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with approximately eight million players.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by using VPN services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by authorities as well.