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

Amid a continued crackdown to increase oversight over online communications, Russian officials have cut off access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were being used to organize and conduct acts of terrorism within the country, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

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

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These latest moves are part of previous restrictions against major platforms such as Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken systematic and multi-pronged efforts to control the digital space. Actions have involved:

• Adopting stringent legislation.
• Outlawing digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
• Advancing systems to observe and control internet traffic.

Other Examples of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted in the past in an incident described as targeted interference by regulators. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its infrastructure in Russia.

In recent months, authorities tightened internet access with widespread outages of mobile internet connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to counter drone strikes, but critics contended another step to assert dominance over the internet.

Action Against Communication Apps

The government has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in this year. This year, authorities prohibited voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by stating the platforms were being used for illegal activities.

At the same time, the state have actively promoted a dubbed "national" communication platform called Max. Experts view it as a potential tool for oversight. The service admits it will share user data with the government if demanded, and experts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification obligates that such services register with Roskomnadzor and provide state security with entry to user accounts. Platforms that fail to comply are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev noted that possibly tens of millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "predictable" and warned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate action, the government reported it was banning Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia in October, with approximately 8 million players.

While it is still possible to get around a few of these blocks by using virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.