🔗 Share this article

In a ongoing crackdown to tighten control over online communications, state officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were utilized to organize and conduct acts of terrorism inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

The regulator said it took action targeting Snapchat in early October, although the decision was publicly disclosed later.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions follow similar blocks imposed on popular services including Google's 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.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in systematic and multi-pronged strategies to control the internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing online services that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Developing technology to track and influence internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in a case of targeted interference by the authorities. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited connectivity with widespread outages of cellphone internet connections. Officials stated this was required to prevent drone strikes, but analysts saw it as another step to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

The government has also moved against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in this year. This year, officials outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the ban by saying the services were being facilitating illegal activities.

At the same time, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Critics see it as a potential surveillance tool. 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 Expert Commentary

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification obligates that such services have an account with the regulator and provide state security with access to communications. Services failing to do so are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially a large number of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "expected" and warned that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Also Affected

In a related action, the government reported it was blocking Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with nearly eight million active users.

While it remains possible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by officials as well.