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Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, state authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was publicly disclosed later.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions follow similar blocks against popular services including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions intensified after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken deliberate and multi-pronged efforts to control the internet. This has included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Outlawing online services that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials limited online access with widespread shutdowns of cellular data connections. Officials stated this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics saw it as a further measure to increase control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. Additionally, authorities outlawed voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by claiming the platforms were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, the state have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Experts view it as a possible tool for oversight. The service admits it will hand over data with authorities if demanded, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label obligates that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and provide the FSB with the ability to monitor user data. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that potentially many millions of Russians 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 further services that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

As another development, the government reported it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from harmful content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia last month, with approximately eight million players.

Although it is still feasible to bypass certain of these restrictions by using VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by officials as well.