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In a sustained campaign to tighten control over internet access, state regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it took action targeting Snapchat in early October, even though the decision was only reported later.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These new restrictions are part of similar restrictions imposed on key apps such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship intensified in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued calculated and multi-pronged strategies to control the internet. This has included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Advancing systems to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Examples of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was throttled in the past in an incident described as targeted interference by the authorities. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with extensive outages of mobile internet connections. The government insisted this was required to counter drone strikes, but analysts contended another step to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

The government has also acted against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in recently. This year, officials prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by stating the services were being involved in illegal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts see it as a potential tool for oversight. The app explicitly states it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label requires that such services have an account with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with access to communications. Services failing to meet these demands are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Sites Too Affected

In a separate move, the government reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with close to eight million active users.

Although it is still possible to circumvent some of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are also often blocked by officials as well.