🔗 Share this article

As part of a ongoing crackdown to tighten control over internet access, state officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities within the country, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the announcement was only made public more recently.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions come after previous restrictions imposed on major platforms such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of restrictions intensified in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging strategies to control the digital space. This has included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Developing systems to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Service for YouTube was disrupted previously in what experts called targeted interference by the authorities. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened internet access with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was necessary to thwart drone strikes, but analysts contended another step to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

The government has also moved against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in recently. This year, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the platforms were being used for crime.

Simultaneously, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "national" communication platform called "Max". Critics see it as a possible tool for oversight. The service openly declares it will hand over data with authorities if demanded, and experts note it lacks strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification obligates that platforms have an account with the regulator and provide Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Too Affected

As another development, the government reported it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million monthly users.

Although it is still feasible to get around a few of these limitations by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by the regulator as well.