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As part of a ongoing effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, state regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were utilized to plan and execute terrorist acts on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it initiated the block targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the announcement was only reported later.

Wider Context of Online Restrictions

This recent action come after similar limitations against popular services such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions began in earnest in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and comprehensive initiatives to curtail the internet. Actions have involved:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting systems to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was throttled in the past in an incident described as intentional slowing by the authorities. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

This summer, authorities limited connectivity with widespread outages of cellular data connections. The government claimed this was required to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts contended a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also acted against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. This year, authorities prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the measure by stating the platforms were being used for criminal activities.

At the same time, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform admits it will hand over data with authorities upon request, and analysts note it does not use strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law classifies any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that such services have an account with the regulator and allow the FSB with access to user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that potentially many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and stated that further services failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Also Affected

In a related move, the government reported it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately eight million monthly users.

Although it is still possible to get around a few of these limitations by utilizing VPN services, those are frequently targeted by officials as well.