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As part of a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, Russian regulators have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials stated it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, even though the decision was only reported later.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions follow previous limitations targeting major platforms like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of bans began in earnest after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued systematic and comprehensive initiatives to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Blocking online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Perfecting technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in an incident described as targeted interference by the authorities. The Kremlin blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials tightened connectivity with extensive disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts argued a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. Furthermore, authorities outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by saying the services were being used for criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The platform admits it will share user data with authorities upon request, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

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

This label obligates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and provide state security with the ability to monitor user data. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that potentially many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

As another development, the government announced it was blocking Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with close to 8 million players.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by employing virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by authorities as well.