Russia Bans Snapchat and Cracks Down on Apple's FaceTime, Officials Announce

As part of a continued effort to increase oversight over internet access, Russian authorities have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Stated Justifications for the Ban

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor claimed that the two apps were employed to plan and execute terrorist acts within the country, to enlist people and commit fraud as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.

Officials stated it initiated the block on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the decision was publicly disclosed on Thursday.

Wider Campaign of Online Restrictions

These latest moves come after previous blocks against popular services like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of censorship began in earnest after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken calculated and multi-pronged efforts to curtail the internet. Measures have included:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Banning online services that do not comply with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Recent Instances of Crackdowns

Service for the YouTube platform was throttled in the past in an incident described as deliberate throttling by officials. Authorities attributed the issue to Google for failing to maintain its infrastructure in Russia.

This summer, officials further restricted internet access with widespread shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. Officials insisted this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but critics saw it as another step to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also acted against widely-used messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. Additionally, authorities banned voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the ban by claiming the two apps were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, the state have championed a dubbed "national" messenger app called "Max". Observers regard it as a potential surveillance tool. The app explicitly states it will share user data with the government if demanded, and analysts note it does not use full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law views any platform where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This classification obligates that platforms register with the regulator and grant state security with entry to user accounts. Services failing to do so are non-compliant and face blocking.

Seleznev noted that potentially a large number of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "expected" and warned that other sites that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

As another development, the authorities also said it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the number two gaming site in Russia last month, with approximately 8 million monthly users.

Although it remains feasible to bypass certain of these restrictions by using virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by authorities as well.