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Amid a ongoing effort to increase oversight over internet access, Russian regulators have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to facilitate and carry out acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses against citizens.

Officials reported it initiated the block targeting Snapchat in early October, although the move was only made public more recently.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves are part of similar restrictions imposed on major platforms like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have engaged in deliberate and comprehensive strategies to curtail the open internet. This has included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technology to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed previously in what experts called intentional slowing by regulators. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

Recently, officials limited connectivity with widespread outages of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to thwart drone strikes, but critics contended an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

Authorities has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. Furthermore, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the two apps were being facilitating criminal activities.

Concurrently, the state have championed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers regard it as a possible surveillance tool. The app admits it will share user data with authorities upon request, and analysts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and grant Russia's security service with access to user data. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that potentially many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and cautioned that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Affected

In a separate action, the government reported it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular game platform in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million players.

Although it is still feasible to circumvent some of these restrictions by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.