🔗 Share this article

In a sustained campaign to tighten control over digital platforms, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud and other crimes against citizens.

Officials stated it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, although the move was only made public more recently.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These latest moves follow previous blocks imposed on popular services including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of restrictions began in earnest after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in deliberate and comprehensive efforts to control the digital space. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting technology to observe and control digital communications.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was throttled in the past in a case of deliberate throttling by officials. Russian officials attributed the issue to Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, officials tightened online access with broad outages of cellphone internet connections. The government insisted this was needed to prevent drone strikes, but critics saw it as an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also acted against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. Additionally, authorities outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by claiming the platforms were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, the state have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Critics view it as a possible surveillance tool. The app explicitly states it will provide user information with officials if demanded, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

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

This designation obligates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and allow Russia's security service with access to communications. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially a large number of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other platforms refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

As another development, the government also said it was banning Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular gaming site in Russia in October, with approximately 8 million active users.

Although it remains feasible to get around a few of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by officials as well.