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In a ongoing crackdown to exert greater control over internet access, Russian authorities have restricted access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that these services were utilized to organize and conduct acts of terrorism inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

The regulator stated it took action targeting Snapchat on October 10, though the announcement was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action come after similar restrictions targeting key apps including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship escalated following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and wide-ranging strategies to curtail the digital space. This has included:

• Adopting restrictive laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Examples of Crackdowns

Access to the YouTube platform was slowed in the past in what experts called deliberate throttling by the authorities. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.

This summer, officials limited internet access with broad shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. The government insisted this was needed to prevent drone strikes, but experts saw it as a further measure to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also acted against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Furthermore, officials outlawed calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the measure by stating the two apps were being involved in criminal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have heavily pushed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a potential surveillance tool. The app openly declares it will provide user information with the government when asked, and analysts note it is not equipped with strong encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any service where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with entry to user data. Services failing to comply are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that possibly tens of millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and warned that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a separate move, the authorities also said it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at safeguarding minors from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two gaming site in Russia recently, with approximately eight million active users.

While it remains feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.