🔗 Share this article

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

Official Justifications for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to enlist people and commit fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

The regulator said it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was only reported later.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions are part of previous limitations targeting key apps like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued deliberate and comprehensive efforts to rein in the open internet. This has included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Perfecting technology to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was throttled previously in what experts called targeted interference by officials. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened connectivity with extensive disruptions of cellphone internet connections. Officials claimed this was needed to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended another step to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

The government has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. This year, officials prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the ban by saying the services were being facilitating crime.

At the same time, authorities have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Experts view it as a potential tool for oversight. The service admits it will hand over data with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation requires that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and allow state security with access to user data. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Sites Also Affected

In a related action, the authorities also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia in October, with close to eight million monthly users.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these restrictions by employing VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by authorities as well.