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In a continued campaign to increase oversight over digital platforms, state authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator reported it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the announcement was only reported later.

Broader Context of Internet Control

These new restrictions are part of comparable limitations imposed on key apps including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship intensified in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued deliberate and multi-pronged strategies to rein in the internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Advancing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted in the past in a case of intentional slowing by regulators. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials limited connectivity with widespread disruptions of mobile internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but analysts argued another step to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also targeted widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in this year. Furthermore, authorities outlawed voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the measure by claiming the services were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Observers regard it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will provide user information with the government if demanded, and experts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any platform where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label obligates that platforms register with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with entry to user accounts. Services failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that possibly many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and stated that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a related development, the government reported it was blocking Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from illicit content. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million active users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by employing VPN services, such tools are also often blocked by the regulator as well.