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Amid a ongoing crackdown to tighten control over online communications, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were employed to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

The regulator said it took action targeting Snapchat in early October, though the move was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions are part of comparable limitations against key apps such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of restrictions intensified in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in systematic and comprehensive strategies to control the open internet. This has included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Outlawing online services that do not comply with state demands.
• Developing technology to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in what experts called deliberate throttling by the authorities. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with broad shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. Officials stated this was needed to counter drone strikes, but experts argued another step to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

Authorities has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. Furthermore, officials prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by claiming the two apps were being involved in crime.

At the same time, authorities have championed a dubbed "national" communication platform called "Max". Observers regard it as a possible surveillance tool. The platform openly declares it will share user data with officials upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law classifies any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label requires that platforms register with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor communications. Those failing to do so are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps tens of millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms failing to cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

In a related move, the government announced it was banning Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million players.

While it is still feasible to get around a few of these limitations by using virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.