🔗 Share this article

Amid a ongoing campaign to tighten control over internet access, Russian regulators have cut off access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were employed to organize and conduct terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, though the announcement was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions follow similar blocks imposed on key apps including Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of censorship escalated following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued systematic and comprehensive strategies to rein in the digital space. This has included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing technical capabilities to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Restrictions

Service for YouTube was slowed last year in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted internet access with widespread outages of mobile internet connections. The government claimed this was required to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended another step to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by stating the platforms were being used for criminal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers see it as a possible surveillance tool. The platform explicitly states it will hand over data with authorities when asked, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification requires that platforms have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with access to user data. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the service as "expected" and warned that further services refusing to comply with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a separate move, the government reported it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately eight million monthly users.

Although it is still feasible to bypass certain of these limitations by employing VPN services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.