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As part of a continued crackdown to tighten control over online communications, Russian officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were being used to organize and conduct terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses against citizens.

The regulator said it initiated the block against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Context of Internet Control

These new restrictions follow previous blocks against key apps such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of restrictions escalated following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

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

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Advancing technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Examples of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed last year in what experts called deliberate throttling by officials. Russian officials blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, authorities further restricted internet access with widespread shutdowns of mobile internet connections. The government claimed this was required to prevent drone strikes, but analysts saw it as a further measure to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also targeted widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, authorities outlawed voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the platforms were being used for criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have championed a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Critics see it as a potential monitoring instrument. The service admits it will share user data with authorities upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

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

This label mandates that such services have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and stated that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

In a separate move, the authorities reported it was restricting Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with close to eight million monthly users.

While it is still feasible to get around a few of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by officials as well.