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In a sustained campaign to exert greater control over internet access, Russian officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator reported it took action targeting Snapchat in early October, although the announcement was only reported more recently.

Wider Context of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions follow comparable restrictions against key apps including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of bans escalated after the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have engaged in calculated and comprehensive strategies to rein in the digital space. Measures have included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted in the past in an incident described as intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities tightened online access with extensive shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts contended another step to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Platforms

The government has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Furthermore, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the services were being involved in criminal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" communication platform called Max. Experts see it as a possible monitoring instrument. The service explicitly states it will share user data with officials upon request, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation obligates that such services register with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with entry to communications. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev noted that possibly a large number of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

As another development, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million monthly users.

While it is still possible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.