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Amid a continued campaign to tighten control over internet access, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Officials stated it took action targeting Snapchat on October 10, although the announcement was only reported more recently.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action follow previous blocks against major platforms like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of censorship escalated following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in calculated and wide-ranging initiatives to curtail the internet. This has included:

• Passing tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with state demands.
• Advancing technology to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for YouTube was throttled in the past in what experts called intentional slowing by the authorities. Authorities blamed Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted internet access with extensive outages of mobile internet connections. The government claimed this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts saw it as a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Platforms

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. This year, officials banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the two apps were being involved in crime.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Observers view it as a possible surveillance tool. The service openly declares it will share user data with authorities upon request, and analysts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with access to communications. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that is clear."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate development, the authorities reported it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with nearly eight million active users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these restrictions by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by officials as well.