Russia continues tech crackdown by blocking Snapchat, FaceTime access

Russian net regulator Roskomnadzor accused some platforms of being utilized ‘to organise and transportation retired violent acts’.

Russian authorities person blocked entree to Snapchat and Apple’s video calling work FaceTime successful the latest determination by Moscow clamping down connected overseas tech platforms arsenic it tightens power implicit the country’s net and online communications.

In abstracted announcements connected Thursday, Russian authorities net regulator Roskomnadzor accused some platforms of being utilized “to organise and transportation retired violent acts wrong the country”, arsenic good arsenic “recruit perpetrators” for transgression acts.

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The regulator said that it took the enactment connected October 10, though it was lone announced this week. Apple and Snapchat genitor Snap Inc person yet to remark connected the move.

After Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022, Snapchat – a messaging app for sharing photos, videos and substance messages – announced it was halting advertisement income to Russian and Belarusian media buyers arsenic it hailed the “resilience of the Ukrainian people”.

Russian authorities person engaged successful deliberate and multipronged efforts to rein successful the net nether President Vladimir Putin. Technology has besides been perfected to show and manipulate online traffic, portion platforms and websites person been banned for failing to comply with restrictive laws.

These efforts person lone intensified since the warfare began, with authorities blocking large societal media sites X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.

Access to YouTube was besides disrupted past year, with experts accusing authorities of deliberately throttling the wide fashionable site. The Kremlin blamed YouTube proprietor Google for failing to support its hardware successful Russia.

The site, utilized by much than 50 cardinal Russians each day, is 1 of the past large bastions of escaped look successful the state and wherever galore Kremlin critics proceed to operate.

In 2024, authorities besides blocked encrypted messenger Signal and different fashionable app, Viber, portion calls via WhatsApp and Telegram – Russia’s archetypal and 2nd astir fashionable messaging apps – were blocked successful August.

Roskomnadzor again justified the measures by claiming the platforms were being utilized for transgression activities. Last week, the regulator threatened to completely prohibition WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms, if it refused to stock accusation with instrumentality enforcement successful fraud and “terrorism” cases.

Virtual backstage web (VPN) services, erstwhile effectual successful circumventing online restrictions, are progressively blocked by Russian authorities.

While cracking down connected overseas tech, the Kremlin has promoted its ain “national” messenger app, MAX. Developed by the state-controlled tech steadfast VK, MAX has been touted arsenic a one-stop store for messaging, online authorities services, and making payments.

Moscow claims MAX is much unafraid against fraud and ensures a “safer” integer ecosystem, portion critics accidental it could beryllium utilized to way users. It has been made mandatory connected each caller mobile phones and tablets sold successful Russia since September 1.

The app’s developer has openly declared it volition stock idiosyncratic information with authorities upon request.