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Amid a continued crackdown to tighten control over internet access, Russian authorities have cut off access to the social media app Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that these services were utilized to organize and conduct acts of terrorism inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and carry out fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

Officials said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat on October 10, even though the decision was only reported later.

Wider Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves follow similar restrictions imposed on major platforms including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of restrictions escalated following the onset of the conflict of Ukraine by Russia.

During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have pursued systematic and multi-pronged initiatives to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Passing restrictive laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations.
• Advancing systems to monitor and manipulate digital communications.

Recent Instances of Blocks

Access to YouTube was slowed previously in a case of targeted interference by the authorities. The Kremlin pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, authorities limited internet access with widespread shutdowns of mobile internet connections. The government insisted this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but analysts argued an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Authorities has also targeted widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in recently. This year, officials prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the action by stating the platforms were being used for criminal activities.

Concurrently, the state have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Experts see it as a possible surveillance tool. The service admits it will hand over data with officials if demanded, and experts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Analysis

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations defines any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This label obligates that such services establish a presence with Roskomnadzor and allow Russia's security service with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to do so are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev noted that perhaps a large number of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services failing to cooperate with authorities "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

As another action, the government also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with approximately eight million players.

Although it is still possible to circumvent some of these blocks by using virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by the regulator as well.