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In a ongoing effort to tighten control over online communications, Russian authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that these services were utilized to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials reported it took action on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was only made public more recently.

Wider Campaign of Digital Crackdown

This recent action follow previous restrictions targeting major platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of censorship escalated following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and multi-pronged strategies to control the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Blocking online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Perfecting systems to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was slowed previously in a case of targeted interference by regulators. Russian officials blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened online access with broad shutdowns of mobile internet connections. The government stated this was required to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts saw it as an additional move to increase control over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Authorities has also targeted popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in recently. This year, authorities banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the action by saying the platforms were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, the state have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Critics regard it as a possible surveillance tool. The app admits it will share user data with authorities when asked, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

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

This label mandates that platforms register with the regulator and grant state security with entry to user data. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Also Targeted

As another action, the government also said it was blocking Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from illicit content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular game platform in Russia last month, with close to 8 million players.

While it is still feasible to bypass certain of these restrictions by employing VPN services, those are also often blocked by officials as well.