Russian Authorities Blocks Snapchat and Restricts Apple's FaceTime, Regulators Say
As part of a ongoing effort to exert greater control over digital platforms, Russian authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on the Apple FaceTime service, FaceTime.
Official Reasons for the Restrictions
The regulatory body Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were employed to plan and execute acts of terrorism inside Russia, to recruit perpetrators and commit fraud along with other offenses targeting Russian citizens.
Officials said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat in early October, though the announcement was only made public on Thursday.
Wider Campaign of Digital Crackdown
These latest moves follow similar blocks against popular services including Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram service. This wave of bans began in earnest after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
During the tenure of Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have undertaken calculated and comprehensive strategies to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:
- Adopting restrictive laws.
- Blocking digital platforms that fail to comply with local rules.
- Developing systems to observe and control internet traffic.
Recent Examples of Blocks
Access to YouTube was throttled previously in an incident described as intentional slowing by regulators. Russian officials pointed the finger at Google for failing to maintain its servers in Russia.
In recent months, authorities limited connectivity with broad shutdowns of mobile internet connections. Officials insisted this was necessary to counter drone strikes, but experts contended an additional move to tighten control over the internet.
Action Against Communication Apps
The government has also moved against widely-used messaging platforms. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were restricted in this year. Furthermore, officials outlawed calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, explaining the measure by saying the services were being facilitating illegal activities.
Concurrently, authorities have actively promoted a dubbed "domestic" communication platform called "Max". Experts see it as a potential tool for oversight. The platform admits it will provide user information with officials when asked, and experts note it does not use strong encryption.
Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary
Per cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any service where people can communicate as an "organizer of dissemination of information".
This classification mandates that such services have an account with Roskomnadzor and allow Russia's security service with the ability to monitor communications. Those failing to comply are non-compliant and may be banned.
Seleznev estimated that potentially a large number of users in Russia had been turning to FaceTime, especially after restrictions were placed on other messaging apps. He called the blocking of the Apple service as "predictable" and cautioned that other sites that do not cooperate with authorities "are likely to be blocked – that's obvious."
Entertainment Sites Too Targeted
In a related action, the government announced it was banning Roblox, stating the reason was child protection from inappropriate material. According to research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia last month, with approximately eight million players.
Although it remains feasible to bypass certain of these blocks by using VPN services, such tools are also often blocked by authorities as well.