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In a ongoing campaign to tighten control over internet access, state regulators have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor said it took action on Snapchat on October 10, although the decision was only reported on Thursday.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves come after similar blocks targeting major platforms including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions intensified following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued systematic and comprehensive initiatives to control the open internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Examples of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. The Kremlin blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with broad outages of cellphone internet connections. Officials stated this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but analysts argued another step to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Apps

The government has also moved against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. This year, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the measure by claiming the services were being facilitating crime.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Observers regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will hand over data with officials if demanded, and analysts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and provide the FSB with entry to user data. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "expected" and warned that other platforms failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

In a separate move, the government reported it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing child protection from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with nearly eight million monthly users.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are routinely blocked by officials as well.