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Amid a continued effort to tighten control over internet access, Russian authorities have blocked access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were being used to facilitate and carry out terrorist activities within the country, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

Officials stated it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, even though the decision was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These new restrictions come after comparable limitations against major platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of restrictions began in earnest following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken deliberate and wide-ranging strategies to control the open internet. This has included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Perfecting technical capabilities to observe and control digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was slowed last year in a case of targeted interference by officials. Authorities attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

In recent months, officials limited connectivity with extensive disruptions of cellular data connections. The government stated this was required to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued another step to tighten control over the internet.

Targeting Communication Platforms

Regulators has also acted against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, officials prohibited calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the measure by stating the two apps were being involved in illegal activities.

Concurrently, the state have actively promoted a so-called "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers see it as a potential surveillance tool. The app admits it will provide user information with the government upon request, and experts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law classifies any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification mandates that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and provide Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user data. Platforms that fail to do so are breaking the law and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "expected" and warned that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a separate development, the authorities announced it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from illicit content. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with close to eight million active users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by officials as well.