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As part of a sustained effort to exert greater control over online communications, Russian officials have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Reasons for the Restrictions

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were employed to organize and conduct acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the move was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

This recent action come after comparable restrictions targeting popular services including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions escalated following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and multi-pronged initiatives to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Adopting tough new laws.
• Outlawing online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Advancing technical capabilities to track and influence internet traffic.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for YouTube was throttled last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by the authorities. Russian officials blamed Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

This summer, officials tightened connectivity with widespread shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. Officials insisted this was required to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics argued an additional move to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Action Against Communication Apps

Regulators has also targeted popular messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, authorities banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the ban by stating the two apps were being used for crime.

Concurrently, the state have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Critics regard it as a possible monitoring instrument. The app openly declares it will share user data with the government upon request, and experts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification mandates that platforms establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and grant Russia's security service with the ability to monitor communications. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev pointed out that perhaps a large number of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and cautioned that further services refusing to comply with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."

Entertainment Platforms Also Targeted

In a separate move, the authorities announced it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with close to 8 million players.

Although it remains possible to get around a few of these blocks by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.