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As part of a ongoing effort to tighten control over online communications, state officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were being used to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities inside Russia, to enlist people and carry out fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator said it initiated the block on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the announcement was only reported more recently.

Broader Context of Internet Control

These new restrictions are part of previous restrictions imposed on major platforms like YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of censorship began in earnest after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued systematic and wide-ranging strategies to control the open internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing online services that fail to comply with local rules.
• Advancing systems to observe and control internet traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in what experts called intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

In recent months, officials tightened online access with widespread outages of cellular data connections. The government stated this was needed to counter drone strikes, but critics argued an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Platforms

Regulators has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, authorities prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by stating the services were being used for crime.

At the same time, the state have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers view it as a potential surveillance tool. The service admits it will provide user information with authorities if demanded, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification requires that such services establish a presence with the regulator and allow state security with entry to communications. Platforms that fail to comply are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and stated that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

In a separate action, the government announced it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia recently, with close to eight million monthly users.

While it is still possible to circumvent some of these restrictions by using VPN services, those are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.