🔗 Share this article

Amid a sustained effort to exert greater control over online communications, state authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, to enlist people and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials stated it initiated the block targeting Snapchat on October 10, even though the decision was only made public on Thursday.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These latest moves are part of previous restrictions imposed on key apps including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of censorship intensified following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken deliberate and multi-pronged initiatives to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Banning online services that do not comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technology to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in an incident described as deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities tightened online access with broad shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was needed to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Authorities has also acted against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, officials banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the ban by saying the platforms were being used for crime.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a possible monitoring instrument. The service explicitly states it will share user data with officials upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

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

This classification mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with entry to communications. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that potentially tens of millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and stated that further services refusing to comply with authorities "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a related action, the government also said it was banning Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia last month, with approximately eight million monthly users.

Although it remains feasible to circumvent some of these limitations by using virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are frequently targeted by officials as well.