🔗 Share this article

In a ongoing campaign to increase oversight over internet access, Russian regulators have restricted access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes against citizens.

The regulator reported it initiated the block targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the decision was publicly disclosed more recently.

Wider Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves follow similar blocks against major platforms such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken systematic and multi-pronged strategies to rein in the internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Banning online services that fail to comply with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Instances of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed previously in a case of intentional slowing by regulators. Russian officials blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted connectivity with extensive outages of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to thwart drone strikes, but critics argued a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also moved against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in recently. Furthermore, authorities outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the action by stating the platforms were being involved in crime.

At the same time, the state have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Observers view it as a possible monitoring instrument. The platform explicitly states it will provide user information with authorities upon request, and analysts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label requires that such services establish a presence with the regulator and allow state security with access to user accounts. Those failing to do so are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

As another action, the authorities announced it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia in October, with nearly 8 million active users.

While it remains possible to get around a few of these limitations by using virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.