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In a sustained effort to increase oversight over internet access, Russian regulators have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was only made public on Thursday.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action follow similar restrictions targeting popular services like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of censorship intensified following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in deliberate and comprehensive efforts to curtail the internet. Actions have involved:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Instances of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed previously in an incident described as intentional slowing by the authorities. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

This summer, authorities further restricted internet access with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but experts argued an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

The government has also acted against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the action by saying the services were being facilitating crime.

Simultaneously, the state have championed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers view it as a possible monitoring instrument. The service openly declares it will share user data with officials if demanded, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that such services register with the regulator and provide the FSB with the ability to monitor user data. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that potentially tens of millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a separate action, the government announced it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia in October, with nearly 8 million players.

Although it is still feasible to circumvent some of these limitations by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.