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Amid a continued campaign to tighten control over online communications, state officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Block

The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that both applications were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and commit fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.

Roskomnadzor reported it took action on Snapchat in early October, even though the move was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions come after similar restrictions imposed on popular services such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of censorship escalated following the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken calculated and wide-ranging efforts to curtail the open internet. This has included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking websites and platforms that do not comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing technology to track and influence internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Restrictions

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in an incident described as deliberate throttling by the authorities. Authorities pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities further restricted connectivity with broad outages of mobile internet connections. The government stated this was required to thwart drone strikes, but analysts contended an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Platforms

The government has also moved against popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in this year. Additionally, authorities prohibited voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the measure by saying the platforms were being involved in crime.

Simultaneously, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" messenger app called Max. Observers see it as a potential tool for oversight. The app explicitly states it will provide user information with authorities upon request, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

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

This designation requires that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with entry to communications. Those failing to comply are breaking the law and can get blocked.

Seleznev pointed out that possibly many millions of Russians had been using FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services failing to cooperate with authorities "face blocking – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a separate move, the government announced it was banning the online game platform Roblox, stating the reason was protecting children from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia last month, with close to 8 million active users.

While it remains possible to get around a few of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, those are routinely blocked by authorities as well.