🔗 Share this article

As part of a continued campaign to increase oversight over internet access, Russian regulators have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the move was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions are part of previous blocks imposed on major platforms like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of restrictions began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in systematic and wide-ranging efforts to rein in the digital space. Measures have included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Developing systems to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Recent Instances of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed in the past in what experts called intentional slowing by officials. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited connectivity with extensive outages of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was required to prevent drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also targeted widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in recently. Furthermore, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the two apps were being used for crime.

Concurrently, the state have actively promoted a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The service admits it will provide user information with authorities when asked, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and provide state security with access to user data. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps tens of millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Sites Also Affected

As another development, the authorities also said it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing child protection from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million monthly users.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these restrictions by utilizing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by the regulator as well.