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In a continued effort to increase oversight over online communications, Russian officials have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist acts on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Roskomnadzor said it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, though the announcement was only made public on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

These new restrictions are part of similar blocks imposed on key apps such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of restrictions intensified after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken calculated and comprehensive strategies to curtail the open internet. Measures have included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was slowed previously in a case of targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities tightened internet access with widespread outages of cellphone internet connections. The government claimed this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued a further measure to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Apps

The government has also acted against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. Furthermore, authorities prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by stating the platforms were being facilitating criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Experts view it as a possible monitoring instrument. The platform explicitly states it will share user data with officials upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation requires that platforms have an account with the regulator and provide the FSB with access to user data. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms refusing to comply with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Sites Also Targeted

In a related move, the authorities also said it was banning the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million monthly users.

While it is still possible to bypass certain of these restrictions by employing virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.