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In a ongoing effort to increase oversight over internet access, state authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

The regulator stated it took action on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

This recent action follow comparable blocks imposed on key apps like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans intensified after the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have engaged in systematic and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the internet. This has included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning digital platforms that do not comply with local rules.
• Developing technology to track and influence online traffic.

Recent Instances of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was disrupted last year in a case of targeted interference by officials. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

Recently, authorities further restricted connectivity with extensive outages of cellphone internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts argued an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Authorities has also acted against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, officials prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by claiming the two apps were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Critics regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will hand over data with officials when asked, and analysts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation requires that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to do so are in violation and may be banned.

Seleznev estimated that potentially a large number of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and cautioned that further services failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Affected

In a separate move, the government also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with approximately eight million active users.

While it remains possible to circumvent some of these limitations by using VPN services, such tools are routinely blocked by officials as well.