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Amid a sustained crackdown to increase oversight over internet access, state regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist acts inside Russia, to enlist people and carry out fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it initiated the block on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the decision was only made public on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions follow similar limitations targeting key apps including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to rein in the internet. Measures have included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Blocking online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to track and influence digital communications.

Other Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was disrupted last year in a case of deliberate throttling by officials. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

This summer, authorities tightened internet access with extensive shutdowns of cellular data connections. The government insisted this was required to counter drone strikes, but experts argued a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also moved against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. This year, authorities banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the ban by claiming the two apps were being facilitating criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Observers view it as a possible surveillance tool. The platform explicitly states it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation obligates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and provide state security with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to meet these demands are in violation and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that potentially many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

In a separate development, the government announced it was blocking Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly eight million active users.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.