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In a continued crackdown to tighten control over digital platforms, state regulators have restricted access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were utilized to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it took action on Snapchat in early October, though the decision was only reported later.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves follow comparable limitations imposed on popular services like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans escalated in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and multi-pronged strategies to curtail the open internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Developing technology to track and influence digital communications.

Other Examples of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was throttled last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by officials. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials limited internet access with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. The government claimed this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts argued an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Authorities has also acted against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. This year, officials outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by stating the platforms were being facilitating crime.

At the same time, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers see it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app admits it will provide user information with authorities upon request, and analysts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label obligates that platforms establish a presence with the regulator and grant state security with the ability to monitor user accounts. Services failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the service as "expected" and warned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Too Targeted

In a related move, the government also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly eight million monthly users.

While it remains possible to circumvent some of these blocks by using virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.