🔗 Share this article

As part of a sustained crackdown to increase oversight over digital platforms, state regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to organize and conduct terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator said it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, although the move was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of similar blocks imposed on major platforms like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have pursued systematic and wide-ranging efforts to control the digital space. This has included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Blocking online services that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to observe and control online traffic.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed in the past in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

In recent months, authorities limited internet access with broad outages of cellular data connections. The government stated this was required to prevent drone strikes, but experts argued another step to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. Furthermore, officials prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the platforms were being involved in illegal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Observers regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The app admits it will hand over data with authorities upon request, and experts note it does not use full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This label requires that platforms have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant state security with access to user accounts. Services failing to do so are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and warned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

In a related move, the authorities reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with close to eight million players.

Although it remains possible to circumvent some of these limitations by using virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by officials as well.