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In a ongoing campaign to exert greater control over internet access, state authorities have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were being used to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it initiated the block targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the decision was only made public later.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These latest moves follow similar limitations against key apps like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued deliberate and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the digital space. Measures have included:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to observe and control internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in a case of targeted interference by the authorities. Authorities blamed Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, officials tightened connectivity with extensive outages of cellular data connections. The government stated this was needed to counter drone strikes, but experts saw it as an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

The government has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in recently. Furthermore, authorities outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the services were being involved in criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have championed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Critics see it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform explicitly states it will hand over data with authorities upon request, and analysts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that platforms register with the regulator and allow the FSB with access to user accounts. Services failing to comply are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that other platforms failing to cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Affected

In a separate move, the authorities announced it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular game platform in Russia in October, with approximately 8 million active users.

While it is still feasible to get around a few of these blocks by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by authorities as well.