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Amid a continued crackdown to increase oversight over online communications, state authorities have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were utilized to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism inside Russia, to enlist people and commit fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator said it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat on October 10, although the decision was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions come after similar limitations targeting popular services like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of censorship escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging efforts to rein in the open internet. Measures have included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Banning digital platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Developing systems to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Examples of Restrictions

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed in the past in what experts called deliberate throttling by regulators. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited connectivity with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was required to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts contended a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Regulators has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in recently. This year, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the two apps were being involved in illegal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Observers regard it as a possible monitoring instrument. The service openly declares it will hand over data with the government when asked, and experts note it does not use full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification requires that such services register with Roskomnadzor and allow the FSB with entry to user data. Services failing to comply are in violation and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially tens of millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services refusing to comply with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a related development, the authorities announced it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia in October, with approximately 8 million active users.

While it remains possible to get around a few of these blocks by employing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by authorities as well.