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Amid a ongoing campaign to increase oversight over internet access, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were being used to plan and execute acts of terrorism within the country, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor said it initiated the block on Snapchat on October 10, although the decision was only reported later.

Wider Context of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions are part of similar restrictions against key apps including Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans began in earnest after the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken calculated and comprehensive efforts to rein in the digital space. Measures have included:

• Passing tough new laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Advancing systems to observe and control online traffic.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was disrupted previously in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

Recently, officials further restricted connectivity with widespread shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was needed to thwart drone strikes, but critics saw it as an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

The government has also moved against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the platforms were being facilitating crime.

At the same time, the state have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Experts view it as a potential tool for oversight. The app admits it will provide user information with authorities when asked, and experts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification obligates that platforms establish a presence with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with access to user accounts. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that potentially many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that further services that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Too Targeted

As another move, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from inappropriate material. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with nearly eight million players.

Although it is still possible to get around a few of these limitations by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by authorities as well.