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Amid a ongoing crackdown to tighten control over online communications, state officials have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud and other crimes against citizens.

Officials reported it enforced the restriction on Snapchat in early October, though the announcement was only made public more recently.

Wider Context of Internet Control

These latest moves are part of similar limitations imposed on major platforms such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of restrictions began in earnest in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken systematic and wide-ranging initiatives to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Developing technical capabilities to observe and control internet traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was slowed previously in what experts called deliberate throttling by officials. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities tightened online access with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was needed to thwart drone strikes, but critics contended another step to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Apps

Authorities has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, officials outlawed voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the measure by claiming the services were being used for criminal activities.

Simultaneously, the state have actively promoted a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Critics regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The app openly declares it will share user data with the government when asked, and analysts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and provide state security with the ability to monitor communications. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that is clear."

Entertainment Sites Also Affected

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia last month, with close to eight million players.

Although it is still feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by using VPN services, such tools are routinely blocked by authorities as well.