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Amid a ongoing campaign to tighten control over online communications, state officials have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were utilized to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to enlist people and commit fraud and other crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials said it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, though the decision was only made public more recently.

Broader Context of Online Restrictions

These latest moves follow similar blocks imposed on key apps such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of restrictions intensified following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken deliberate and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the internet. Measures have included:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Outlawing websites and platforms that do not comply with Russian regulations.
• Developing systems to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was slowed previously in an incident described as deliberate throttling by officials. Authorities pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, authorities limited connectivity with extensive outages of mobile internet connections. Officials stated this was needed to prevent drone strikes, but critics contended an additional move to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also acted against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in this year. Additionally, authorities outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the ban by claiming the two apps were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers regard it as a possible surveillance tool. The app admits it will share user data with the government if demanded, and experts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

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

This label mandates that platforms register with Roskomnadzor and allow state security with access to communications. Those failing to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that possibly tens of millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that other platforms refusing to comply with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Sites Too Targeted

In a related action, the authorities also said it was blocking Roblox, citing protecting children from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second most popular gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately eight million players.

While it is still possible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.