🔗 Share this article

Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, state authorities have cut off access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were employed to organize and conduct terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud and other crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor said it took action on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions follow comparable restrictions targeting key apps such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of bans began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in calculated and wide-ranging initiatives to control the open internet. This has included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was throttled in the past in a case of deliberate throttling by the authorities. The Kremlin blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials tightened internet access with broad shutdowns of cellular data connections. The government stated this was necessary to counter drone strikes, but analysts argued a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

The government has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in this year. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the services were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform openly declares it will share user data with authorities upon request, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label mandates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to do so are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that potentially a large number of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and warned that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Too Targeted

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was blocking Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia recently, with close to eight million players.

While it is still possible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.