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In a ongoing campaign to increase oversight over online communications, state authorities have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to plan and execute acts of terrorism within the country, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it took action against Snapchat in early October, although the move was only reported later.

Wider Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions come after similar restrictions targeting key apps including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship escalated after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

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

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Outlawing online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Perfecting systems to observe and control internet traffic.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was slowed in the past in a case of targeted interference by officials. Russian officials blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted online access with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to thwart drone strikes, but critics saw it as a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Regulators has also moved against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by saying the two apps were being involved in crime.

Simultaneously, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Experts see it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will share user data with officials upon request, and experts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

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

This classification mandates that such services register with the regulator and provide the FSB with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to meet these demands are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and stated that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

As another development, the government also said it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with close to eight million players.

While it is still possible to bypass certain of these limitations by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.