🔗 Share this article

Amid a continued effort to increase oversight over digital platforms, Russian authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist acts within the country, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor said it took action on Snapchat on October 10, though the announcement was only made public on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Internet Control

This recent action come after comparable restrictions imposed on major platforms like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of restrictions began in earnest after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued calculated and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed last year in what experts called deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted internet access with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts saw it as another step to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also acted against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. This year, officials banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the services were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Observers view it as a possible surveillance tool. The app explicitly states it will hand over data with officials if demanded, and analysts note it does not use strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and allow Russia's security service with access to user accounts. Services failing to meet these demands are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly tens of millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the service as "expected" and cautioned that other platforms refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Also Targeted

In a related action, the authorities also said it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million players.

While it remains possible to circumvent some of these restrictions by using virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by officials as well.