Russian Authorities Bans Snapchat and Restricts Apple's FaceTime, Regulators Report

In a ongoing effort to tighten control over online communications, state officials have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were being used to plan and execute terrorist acts within the country, to enlist people and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, although the move was only made public more recently.

Broader Campaign of Internet Control

These latest moves come after comparable restrictions targeting major platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions began in earnest in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and multi-pronged strategies to rein in the open internet. Measures have included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Blocking online services that fail to comply with state demands.
• Advancing technology to track and influence internet traffic.

Other Examples of Restrictions

Service for the YouTube platform was disrupted last year in a case of deliberate throttling by officials. The Kremlin pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its servers in Russia.

In recent months, officials tightened connectivity with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. The government insisted this was needed to thwart drone strikes, but experts contended a further measure to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Platforms

Authorities has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in this year. Additionally, officials banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the measure by saying the services were being facilitating illegal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called Max. Experts regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The service openly declares it will provide user information with officials upon request, and experts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Analysis

Per lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations views any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation mandates that such services have an account with the regulator and grant state security with the ability to monitor communications. Those failing to comply are in violation and may be banned.

Seleznev estimated that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."

Gaming Sites Also Affected

In a separate action, the government announced it was blocking Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with nearly eight million active users.

While it is still possible to circumvent some of these limitations by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.