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As part of a continued crackdown to increase oversight over digital platforms, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist acts on Russian soil, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat on October 10, though the move was publicly disclosed later.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of previous limitations targeting popular services including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of bans intensified following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to rein in the digital space. Actions have involved:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Developing systems to observe and control online traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted in the past in what experts called deliberate throttling by the authorities. Russian officials blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

This summer, authorities tightened internet access with broad shutdowns of cellular data connections. The government insisted this was required to thwart drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Platforms

Regulators has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, authorities prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts see it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform openly declares it will hand over data with the government if demanded, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification requires that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Services failing to do so are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and stated that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was banning the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million monthly users.

While it remains feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by officials as well.