Russia Restricts Snapchat and Restricts Apple's FaceTime, Officials Report

As part of a continued crackdown to exert greater control over internet access, Russian regulators have cut off access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts inside Russia, to enlist people and carry out fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it enforced the restriction against Snapchat on October 10, although the move was only made public more recently.

Broader Context of Internet Control

These new restrictions are part of comparable limitations targeting key apps such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken systematic and wide-ranging strategies to rein in the digital space. Actions have involved:

• Passing stringent legislation.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to track and influence digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was slowed previously in what experts called deliberate throttling by regulators. The Kremlin attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted connectivity with extensive outages of cellphone internet connections. Officials claimed this was needed to counter drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to tighten control over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

The government has also moved against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. This year, officials banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the ban by claiming the platforms were being facilitating crime.

Simultaneously, the state have championed a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a possible tool for oversight. The platform admits it will share user data with officials upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation obligates that such services establish a presence with the regulator and allow state security with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other sites refusing to comply with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Also Affected

In a related development, the government announced it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from inappropriate material. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with approximately eight million players.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing VPN services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.