Russian Authorities Blocks Snapchat and Limits Apple's FaceTime, State Media Say

In a continued campaign to tighten control over online communications, state authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were employed to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

The regulator stated it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, though the move was only made public more recently.

Wider Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions follow similar restrictions imposed on key apps like Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans began in earnest following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken calculated and wide-ranging initiatives to rein in the internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Banning digital platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technical capabilities to observe and control online traffic.

Other Instances of Crackdowns

Access to YouTube was disrupted last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by the authorities. The Kremlin attributed the issue to Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials further restricted online access with extensive outages of cellphone internet connections. The government claimed this was necessary to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended another step to assert dominance over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. Additionally, officials prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the action by claiming the platforms were being involved in criminal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "national" communication platform called Max. Observers see it as a possible tool for oversight. The service explicitly states it will hand over data with officials upon request, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Those failing to meet these demands are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps tens of millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "expected" and cautioned that other platforms failing to cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Too Affected

As another move, the government announced it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from harmful content. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million active users.

Although it remains feasible to bypass certain of these limitations by using VPN services, such tools are frequently targeted by authorities as well.