Amid a continued crackdown to exert greater control over internet access, Russian officials have cut off access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.
The regulatory body Roskomnadzor claimed that these services were utilized to plan and execute terrorist activities inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and engage in fraudulent activities as well as various crimes targeting Russian citizens.
Officials said it initiated the block on Snapchat in early October, even though the move was only made public later.
These latest moves come after similar blocks imposed on popular services such as YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. The campaign of bans intensified after the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.
Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken calculated and comprehensive strategies to control the internet. Measures have included:
Service for YouTube was disrupted last year in an incident described as intentional slowing by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its hardware in Russia.
Recently, authorities tightened connectivity with broad disruptions of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was necessary to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended another step to increase control over the internet.
The government has also targeted popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in recently. Furthermore, authorities outlawed voice calls on the WhatsApp app and Telegram, defending the action by claiming the services were being used for criminal activities.
Simultaneously, authorities have championed a dubbed "national" communication platform called Max. Experts regard it as a potential tool for oversight. The app admits it will hand over data with authorities when asked, and analysts note it is not equipped with end-to-end encryption.
As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework classifies any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".
This classification obligates that such services register with the regulator and grant the FSB with the ability to monitor user data. Services failing to meet these demands are in violation and can get blocked.
Seleznev noted that perhaps a large number of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "expected" and cautioned that other sites failing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."
In a related action, the government reported it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was safeguarding minors from illicit content. Per data from media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second most popular game platform in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million players.
While it remains feasible to get around a few of these restrictions by using VPN services, those are also often blocked by authorities as well.
Elara is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and entrepreneurship.
