Russian Authorities Restricts Snapchat and Restricts Apple's FaceTime, Officials Announce

As part of a ongoing campaign to exert greater control over digital platforms, state authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were utilized to plan and execute terrorist activities inside Russia, to enlist people and commit fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials said it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the move was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Broader Context of Internet Control

This recent action are part of comparable limitations targeting major platforms such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship intensified after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued systematic and comprehensive strategies to control the digital space. This has included:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Banning online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Other Examples of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in what experts called intentional slowing by the authorities. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

In recent months, officials limited connectivity with broad outages of cellular data connections. The government stated this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, officials prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the two apps were being facilitating illegal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts view it as a possible tool for oversight. The service admits it will hand over data with officials upon request, and analysts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

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

This classification requires that such services have an account with the regulator and provide the FSB with access to user accounts. Services failing to comply are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the service as "predictable" and stated that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Platforms Also Affected

In a related development, the authorities also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia last month, with nearly 8 million monthly users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by authorities as well.