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As part of a continued crackdown to tighten control over online communications, state regulators have cut off access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to organize and conduct terrorist activities on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor said it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the move was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions are part of previous blocks against major platforms including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of restrictions escalated in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to control the open internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Banning digital platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Perfecting technical capabilities to observe and control online traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted last year in an incident described as deliberate throttling by regulators. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted connectivity with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. Officials insisted this was required to counter drone strikes, but analysts contended an additional move to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Platforms

The government has also acted against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. Furthermore, officials outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the platforms were being involved in illegal activities.

Concurrently, the state have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Critics regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The service admits it will share user data with the government if demanded, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor communications. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially many millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and cautioned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Sites Also Targeted

As another move, the authorities reported it was blocking Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million players.

While it is still feasible to circumvent some of these restrictions by employing VPN services, such tools are routinely blocked by authorities as well.