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As part of a continued effort to increase oversight over internet access, Russian officials have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist acts on Russian soil, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials reported it initiated the block targeting Snapchat in early October, though the decision was only reported more recently.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

This recent action are part of previous blocks imposed on key apps such as YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. These measures of censorship escalated in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken systematic and multi-pronged strategies to control the open internet. This has included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Outlawing digital platforms that fail to comply with state demands.
• Perfecting technology to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for YouTube was disrupted previously in what experts called targeted interference by the authorities. Russian officials blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. The government stated this was needed to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended a further measure to assert dominance over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also moved against popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in 2024. Additionally, officials banned calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the ban by claiming the services were being involved in criminal activities.

At the same time, authorities have championed a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Critics view it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app admits it will share user data with the government if demanded, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation obligates that such services register with the regulator and provide state security with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that potentially many millions of Russians had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Sites Too Targeted

As another action, the government also said it was blocking Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia in October, with approximately eight million monthly users.

While it is still feasible to circumvent some of these restrictions by employing virtual private network services, those are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.