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In a ongoing effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian officials have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were employed to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the announcement was only made public later.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves are part of comparable limitations targeting popular services like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of bans began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have engaged in systematic and multi-pronged strategies to rein in the open internet. This has included:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Perfecting technology to observe and control online traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in what experts called intentional slowing by regulators. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

Recently, authorities further restricted connectivity with widespread disruptions of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued a further measure to assert dominance over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Regulators has also moved against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in recently. Furthermore, authorities banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by saying the platforms were being involved in criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Observers view it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will hand over data with authorities when asked, and analysts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation requires that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and allow Russia's security service with entry to communications. Services failing to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that possibly tens of millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and warned that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a separate move, the authorities also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly eight million monthly users.

Although it is still feasible to circumvent some of these restrictions by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by authorities as well.