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Amid a ongoing effort to increase oversight over digital platforms, state authorities have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that these services were utilized to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Officials said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat on October 10, although the move was only reported more recently.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions are part of previous restrictions targeting major platforms like Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of bans escalated after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the digital space. This has included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing systems to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in a case of deliberate throttling by regulators. The Kremlin pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, officials limited internet access with widespread outages of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was required to thwart drone strikes, but critics contended an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also acted against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. Additionally, authorities outlawed voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the measure by saying the services were being used for crime.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers see it as a potential tool for oversight. The app openly declares it will share user data with the government if demanded, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

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

This label requires that platforms register with the regulator and allow the FSB with access to communications. Those failing to comply are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that potentially a large number of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the service as "expected" and warned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Affected

As another action, the authorities announced it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from illicit content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia in October, with nearly eight million active users.

While it remains possible to bypass certain of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, those are also often blocked by the regulator as well.