🔗 Share this article

As part of a ongoing effort to exert greater control over online communications, state authorities have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that these services were employed to plan and execute terrorist activities within the country, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the move was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

These latest moves come after comparable restrictions imposed on popular services like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of bans began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to curtail the internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Banning online services that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was disrupted previously in a case of targeted interference by the authorities. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted online access with extensive outages of cellphone internet connections. The government insisted this was needed to counter drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. This year, officials banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by saying the platforms were being used for crime.

At the same time, the state have championed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Observers regard it as a potential surveillance tool. The platform openly declares it will provide user information with authorities upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label mandates that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant the FSB with the ability to monitor user data. Services failing to meet these demands are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and warned that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a separate move, the authorities announced it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million players.

While it is still possible to circumvent some of these restrictions by employing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.