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As part of a sustained effort to exert greater control over online communications, Russian officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Officials said it took action on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the announcement was only reported on Thursday.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These latest moves are part of comparable restrictions imposed on major platforms such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions intensified in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in systematic and comprehensive efforts to curtail the digital space. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Advancing systems to track and influence digital communications.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was throttled last year in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, officials further restricted online access with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. Officials stated this was needed to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts contended another step to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Authorities has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by claiming the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have championed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Critics see it as a possible surveillance tool. The platform admits it will provide user information with the government when asked, and experts note it does not use full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label mandates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and provide state security with access to user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that potentially a large number of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

In a related development, the authorities also said it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from harmful content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with close to 8 million active users.

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