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In a continued crackdown to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian authorities have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that these services were employed to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it took action on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was only reported later.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action follow previous blocks targeting major platforms like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of bans began in earnest after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken deliberate and wide-ranging strategies to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Passing tough new laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Perfecting systems to track and influence online traffic.

Other Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was slowed in the past in a case of intentional slowing by officials. Authorities blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities further restricted connectivity with extensive disruptions of cellular data connections. The government stated this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued another step to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also targeted popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by claiming the platforms were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app explicitly states it will provide user information with officials upon request, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law classifies any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation obligates that such services have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with entry to user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly a large number of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

As another development, the government announced it was restricting Roblox, citing child protection from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly eight million players.

Although it is still possible to get around a few of these restrictions by utilizing VPN services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.