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As part of a ongoing effort to exert greater control over online communications, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that these services were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts within the country, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials said it took action on Snapchat in early October, although the move was publicly disclosed later.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

This recent action follow comparable restrictions against key apps including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship intensified in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken deliberate and multi-pronged strategies to control the digital space. This has included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Banning digital platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Advancing systems to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was throttled last year in what experts called targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited connectivity with extensive disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but experts saw it as an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in this year. Additionally, authorities banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the measure by saying the services were being involved in criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Critics see it as a potential tool for oversight. The service explicitly states it will share user data with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification requires that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and allow state security with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to do so are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

As another development, the authorities also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia in October, with close to eight million players.

Although it is still feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by using virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.