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As part of a continued effort to increase oversight over internet access, Russian regulators have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it took action against Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was only made public more recently.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

These latest moves are part of comparable restrictions against major platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of restrictions began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to curtail the open internet. This has included:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting technical capabilities to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Examples of Blocks

Service for YouTube was disrupted in the past in what experts called intentional slowing by the authorities. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

In recent months, officials tightened connectivity with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the action by claiming the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a possible monitoring instrument. The platform openly declares it will hand over data with the government when asked, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with access to user accounts. Platforms that fail to do so are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and warned that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Too Targeted

In a related move, the authorities also said it was blocking Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with approximately eight million active users.

Although it is still possible to circumvent some of these restrictions by using VPN services, those are frequently targeted by authorities as well.