Russian Authorities Bans Snapchat and Cracks Down on Apple's FaceTime, State Media Say

Amid a ongoing crackdown to increase oversight over internet access, state officials have cut off access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were employed to plan and execute acts of terrorism inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes targeting Russian citizens.

The regulator stated it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat in early October, though the decision was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves come after previous limitations targeting popular services including Google's YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of restrictions escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and multi-pronged initiatives to control the open internet. Measures have included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with local rules.
• Advancing systems to observe and control online traffic.

Other Instances of Blocks

Access to the YouTube platform was disrupted previously in an incident described as intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials blamed Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.

This summer, authorities limited online access with broad shutdowns of mobile internet connections. The government insisted this was required to counter drone strikes, but experts contended an additional move to increase control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Apps

The government has also targeted popular communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Additionally, officials banned calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by claiming the platforms were being involved in crime.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a so-called "national" messenger app called Max. Experts see it as a possible tool for oversight. The app admits it will provide user information with the government when asked, and experts note it is not equipped with full encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Analyst Commentary

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

This label requires that such services register with the regulator and grant state security with the ability to monitor communications. Services failing to meet these demands are in violation and can get blocked.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that other platforms refusing to comply with authorities "are likely to be blocked – it is inevitable."

Gaming Sites Too Targeted

In a separate development, the authorities also said it was blocking the online game platform Roblox, citing safeguarding minors from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia last month, with close to 8 million monthly users.

Although it remains feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by employing VPN services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by officials as well.