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Amid a ongoing effort to exert greater control over online communications, Russian authorities have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were being used to organize and conduct acts of terrorism inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

The regulator stated it initiated the block on Snapchat on October 10, although the decision was only made public more recently.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves come after similar limitations against popular services such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions began in earnest following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in calculated and multi-pronged initiatives to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Banning digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Developing technical capabilities to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was disrupted in the past in an incident described as deliberate throttling by the authorities. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited internet access with extensive shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was required to counter drone strikes, but analysts contended another step to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Platforms

The government has also moved against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the action by claiming the two apps were being involved in criminal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Observers view it as a potential surveillance tool. The platform admits it will provide user information with officials upon request, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any platform where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label requires that such services register with the regulator and allow Russia's security service with access to communications. Services failing to comply are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that possibly tens of millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

As another action, the authorities reported it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with nearly eight million players.

Although it is still possible to get around a few of these blocks by using virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by authorities as well.