In a sustained effort to increase oversight over digital platforms, Russian authorities have restricted access to the social media app Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple video calling service, FaceTime.
Official Reasons for the Block
The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were employed to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud as well as various crimes against citizens.
Roskomnadzor said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the announcement was only reported later.
Wider Context of Internet Control
This recent action follow similar restrictions imposed on key apps including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. These measures of restrictions began in earnest following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.
During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, authorities have pursued systematic and comprehensive initiatives to curtail the digital space. Actions have involved:
- Adopting tough new laws.
- Outlawing online services that refuse to cooperate with Russian regulations.
- Perfecting technology to track and influence internet traffic.
Other Instances of Restrictions
Service for YouTube was disrupted last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by officials. Authorities attributed the issue to YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its infrastructure in Russia.
This summer, officials limited online access with widespread outages of cellular data connections. Officials claimed this was required to counter drone strikes, but experts contended a further measure to assert dominance over the digital landscape.
Targeting Messaging Platforms
Authorities has also moved against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were restricted in 2024. Additionally, officials banned voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by saying the two apps were being used for criminal activities.
Simultaneously, authorities have heavily pushed a so-called "domestic" communication platform called Max. Observers view it as a potential surveillance tool. The app admits it will hand over data with officials upon request, and experts note it does not use end-to-end encryption.
Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary
As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, regulations classifies any platform where people can communicate as an "information dissemination organizer".
This classification mandates that such services register with the regulator and allow state security with access to communications. Services failing to do so are in violation and may be banned.
Seleznev noted that perhaps tens of millions of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and cautioned that other platforms failing to cooperate with authorities "will be blocked – it is inevitable."
Gaming Sites Also Affected
In a separate action, the government reported it was restricting the online game platform Roblox, citing protecting children from inappropriate material. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest game platform in Russia recently, with approximately 8 million active users.
Although it remains feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by utilizing VPN services, VPNs themselves are routinely blocked by officials as well.
