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As part of a sustained campaign to tighten control over digital platforms, Russian regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Justifications for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that these services were utilized to facilitate and carry out terrorist acts inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and engage in fraudulent activities along with other offenses aimed at the populace.

Roskomnadzor said it enforced the restriction against Snapchat in early October, even though the decision was only made public on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Online Restrictions

These latest moves follow comparable blocks against major platforms including YouTube, Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of restrictions escalated following the 2022 military action of Ukraine by Russia.

Since Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in calculated and comprehensive efforts to rein in the internet. This has included:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Banning online services that do not comply with local rules.
• Perfecting technology to observe and control online traffic.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Access to YouTube was disrupted last year in what experts called targeted interference by the authorities. The Kremlin blamed Google for failing to maintain its hardware in Russia.

In recent months, authorities tightened internet access with broad disruptions of cellphone internet connections. Officials claimed this was necessary to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks, but critics contended an additional move to assert dominance over the internet.

Targeting Messaging Platforms

The government has also acted against popular messaging platforms. The encrypted app Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year, authorities outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the measure by claiming the platforms were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called Max. Critics regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The service openly declares it will hand over data with the government upon request, and analysts note it lacks end-to-end encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Commentary

As explained by lawyer and expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any service where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This designation mandates that platforms have an account with the regulator and provide the FSB with the ability to monitor user accounts. Those failing to meet these demands are non-compliant and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that perhaps many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, particularly after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He described the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and warned that further services that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that is clear."

Gaming Sites Also Targeted

In a separate development, the government announced it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from harmful content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest gaming site in Russia recently, with nearly 8 million players.

Although it remains possible to get around a few of these restrictions by employing VPN services, such tools are routinely blocked by the regulator as well.