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As part of a ongoing effort to tighten control over digital platforms, Russian officials have cut off access to Snapchat and placed curbs on the Apple FaceTime service, Apple FaceTime.

Official Reasons for the Ban

The regulatory body Roskomnadzor stated that the two apps were employed to plan and execute acts of terrorism on Russian soil, to enlist people and commit fraud and other crimes aimed at the populace.

Officials said it enforced the restriction on Snapchat back on the 10th of October, even though the announcement was only made public later.

Broader Campaign of Digital Crackdown

This recent action come after comparable blocks imposed on key apps like YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Telegram messaging service. This wave of censorship intensified following the 2022 military action of Ukraine.

Since Vladimir Putin, the government have undertaken systematic and wide-ranging initiatives to control the open internet. This has included:

• Enacting restrictive laws.
• Banning digital platforms that do not comply with local rules.
• Perfecting systems to monitor and manipulate internet traffic.

Other Examples of Crackdowns

Service for YouTube was slowed in the past in what experts called targeted interference by officials. The Kremlin blamed Google for allegedly neglecting its hardware in Russia.

Recently, officials limited online access with extensive shutdowns of cellphone internet connections. Officials claimed this was needed to prevent drone strikes, but analysts contended a further measure to tighten control over the digital landscape.

Targeting Communication Apps

Regulators has also moved against widely-used communication apps. Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were banned in recently. Furthermore, authorities prohibited calls via the WhatsApp app and Telegram, justifying the measure by claiming the services were being facilitating criminal activities.

Simultaneously, authorities have championed a so-called "national" communication platform called "Max". Observers regard it as a potential monitoring instrument. The platform openly declares it will hand over data with officials when asked, and analysts note it lacks strong encryption.

Regulatory Basis and Expert Commentary

As explained by cyber security expert Stanislav Seleznev, Russian law defines any platform where users can message as an "information dissemination organizer".

This classification obligates that platforms establish a presence with the regulator and allow state security with access to communications. Services failing to do so are non-compliant and can get blocked.

Seleznev estimated that possibly a large number of users in Russia had been relying on FaceTime, especially after voice calls were prohibited on other messaging apps. He described the blocking of the service as "predictable" and stated that further services refusing to comply with Roskomnadzor "face blocking – that's obvious."

Entertainment Platforms Too Affected

In a related development, the authorities reported it was banning Roblox, claiming it aimed at protecting children from harmful content. Per data from research group Mediascope, Roblox was the number two game platform in Russia in October, with nearly eight million active users.

Although it remains possible to bypass certain of these limitations by utilizing virtual private network services, VPNs themselves are also often blocked by authorities as well.