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In a ongoing effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, state officials have blocked access to Snapchat and placed curbs on Apple's video calling service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Restrictions

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that both applications were utilized to plan and execute terrorist acts within the country, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses against citizens.

The regulator said it took action targeting Snapchat on October 10, even though the move was only reported on Thursday.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

These new restrictions are part of previous blocks targeting popular services including YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of censorship began in earnest in the wake of the onset of the conflict of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken deliberate and multi-pronged initiatives to curtail the internet. This has included:

• Enacting stringent legislation.
• Blocking websites and platforms that do not comply with local rules.
• Developing technical capabilities to track and influence digital communications.

Other Examples of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was slowed last year in a case of intentional slowing by officials. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials tightened connectivity with extensive shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. The government stated this was necessary to thwart drone strikes, but experts saw it as a further measure to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Messaging Apps

Regulators has also moved against widely-used communication apps. The encrypted app Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were banned in recently. This year, authorities outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, defending the measure by stating the two apps were being facilitating crime.

Concurrently, the state have heavily pushed a so-called "national" messenger app called "Max". Observers regard it as a possible tool for oversight. The service admits it will provide user information with authorities when asked, and analysts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Expert Analysis

Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law classifies any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation obligates that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and provide Russia's security service with the ability to monitor user accounts. Platforms that fail to meet these demands are in violation and face blocking.

Seleznev estimated that possibly many millions of users in Russia had been using FaceTime, particularly after calls were banned on WhatsApp and Telegram. He called the restrictions against the service as "expected" and warned that other sites refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – it is inevitable."

Gaming Platforms Also Targeted

In a related development, the government also said it was banning the online game platform Roblox, claiming it aimed at child protection from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, the platform was the second-largest game platform in Russia in October, with nearly eight million monthly users.

While it remains possible to circumvent some of these limitations by employing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by authorities as well.