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As part of a continued campaign to tighten control over digital platforms, state authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were being used to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud as well as various crimes aimed at the populace.

The regulator said it took action against Snapchat back on the 10th of October, although the move was publicly disclosed later.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves come after previous blocks imposed on key apps including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of bans escalated in the wake of the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken deliberate and wide-ranging initiatives to curtail the digital space. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Banning websites and platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Perfecting technology to track and influence digital communications.

Other Instances of Restrictions

Access to YouTube was throttled in the past in an incident described as targeted interference by officials. Russian officials attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, authorities tightened internet access with extensive shutdowns of mobile internet connections. Officials claimed this was required to counter drone strikes, but analysts saw it as an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Apps

The government has also acted against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, officials banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, justifying the action by saying the services were being facilitating crime.

Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Observers view it as a possible monitoring instrument. The platform openly declares it will share user data with officials if demanded, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework views any service where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation mandates that platforms establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and grant the FSB with entry to user data. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev estimated that potentially many millions of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, particularly after voice calls were prohibited on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the blocking of the service as "predictable" and stated that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Too Targeted

In a separate development, the government reported it was banning the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia in October, with nearly 8 million players.

While it remains feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by utilizing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by officials as well.