🔗 Share this article

In a continued campaign to exert greater control over internet access, Russian officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were employed to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts within the country, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Officials said it took action targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the announcement was only reported later.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

This recent action follow previous limitations against popular services including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship escalated after the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in calculated and multi-pronged initiatives to curtail the open internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing digital platforms that do not comply with state demands.
• Developing technical capabilities to observe and control online traffic.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was slowed in the past in a case of intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, officials limited internet access with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government insisted this was necessary to counter drone strikes, but experts saw it as an additional move to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also moved against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in recently. Additionally, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the measure by claiming the services were being involved in crime.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Experts see it as a potential tool for oversight. The platform admits it will hand over data with the government if demanded, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

As explained by lawyer and 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 grant the FSB with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps a large number of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and stated that further services that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a separate development, the government also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing child protection from inappropriate material. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million active users.

Although it remains feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, those are frequently targeted by authorities as well.