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Amid a ongoing crackdown to tighten control over digital platforms, state officials have restricted access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist activities on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

Roskomnadzor stated it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of similar blocks targeting key apps including Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of restrictions began in earnest after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued deliberate and multi-pronged efforts to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
• Perfecting systems to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was disrupted previously in a case of deliberate throttling by the authorities. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities further restricted online access with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. The government claimed this was necessary to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics saw it as a further measure to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Messaging Apps

The government has also targeted popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in this year. This year, authorities banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the platforms were being used for crime.

At the same time, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The platform explicitly states it will hand over data with the government upon request, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

According to lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label obligates that such services register with Roskomnadzor and provide state security with access to user data. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "expected" and cautioned that other platforms that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Sites Too Targeted

In a separate move, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with close to 8 million monthly users.

Although it is still feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by using VPN services, such tools are routinely blocked by authorities as well.