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In a sustained campaign to increase oversight over digital platforms, Russian authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were employed to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Context of Internet Control

This recent action are part of comparable blocks against major platforms including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of bans intensified following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and comprehensive efforts to control the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted in the past in a case of deliberate throttling by officials. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened internet access with extensive outages of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued another step to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also targeted widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by claiming the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Observers view it as a possible tool for oversight. The service explicitly states it will share user data with officials when asked, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

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

This label mandates that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant the FSB with the ability to monitor communications. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and warned that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia recently, with approximately eight million players.

While it is still feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by employing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by authorities as well.