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Amid a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, state regulators have blocked access to Snapchat and enacted limitations on Apple's FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Block

Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor alleged that both applications were utilized to organize and conduct terrorist activities inside Russia, for recruiting individuals and carry out fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials reported it enforced the restriction targeting Snapchat back on the 10th of October, though the announcement was publicly disclosed more recently.

Broader Context of Digital Crackdown

These latest moves come after similar blocks imposed on popular services such as Google's YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. The campaign of bans escalated after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, authorities have undertaken deliberate and multi-pronged efforts to curtail the open internet. Actions have involved:

• Enacting tough new laws.
• Blocking digital platforms that refuse to cooperate with state demands.
• Perfecting systems to observe and control internet traffic.

Recent Examples of Blocks

Service for the YouTube platform was throttled last year in an incident described as targeted interference by officials. Authorities blamed YouTube's owner, Google for not properly maintaining its servers in Russia.

This summer, officials tightened online access with broad disruptions of cellular data connections. Officials insisted this was necessary to prevent drone strikes, but critics argued an additional move to assert dominance over the digital landscape.

Action Against Messaging Platforms

The government has also moved against popular communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and the Viber service, Viber, were blocked in recently. Furthermore, officials outlawed voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, explaining the action by stating the two apps were being used for illegal activities.

Concurrently, authorities have championed a dubbed "domestic" messenger app called "Max". Experts view it as a potential monitoring instrument. The service explicitly states it will hand over data with authorities upon request, and experts note it lacks full encryption.

Legal Framework and Analyst Commentary

According to cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, the legal framework defines any platform where users can message as an "organizer of dissemination of information".

This designation mandates that platforms register with the regulator and allow the FSB with entry to user data. Platforms that fail to comply are breaking the law and may be banned.

Seleznev noted that possibly a large number of Russians had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He called the restrictions against the Apple service as "predictable" and stated that further services that do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor "will be blocked – that is clear."

Entertainment Sites Too Affected

In a related action, the authorities reported it was restricting Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from illicit content. According to media monitoring group Mediascope, Roblox was the second-largest gaming site in Russia in October, with nearly eight million monthly users.

While it remains feasible to circumvent some of these blocks by employing virtual private network services, such tools are frequently targeted by officials as well.