Russia Unveils New SIM Cards for Enhanced Child Safety and Parental Control

The Ministry of Digital Development in Russia plans to launch a new category of SIM card specifically designed for children, according to state media reports on Wednesday.

These SIM cards will come equipped with traffic filtering, improved parental controls, and the capability to track location without needing a court order, as explained by Minister Maksut Shadayev during a forum organized by the volunteer rescue group LizaAlert.

Shadayev initially suggested the idea of child-specific SIM cards for those under 14 back in August, emphasizing the need to restrict access to certain online services, such as social media, in order to better safeguard minors on the internet.

“We are now rolling out what we refer to as ‘children’s SIM cards,’” Shadayev stated. “Parents will have the ability to request geolocation information about their children without a court order,” he added.

However, Shadayev did not provide a specific launch date for these children’s SIM cards.

Additionally, several of Russia’s leading mobile service providers already have special tariffs tailored for children, featuring enhanced defenses against spam and fraud, along with restrictions on mobile internet usage.

Shadayev also mentioned that this initiative will benefit senior citizens, allowing them to designate a trusted individual who can access their geolocation data via Russia’s public services portal, Gosuslugi, to improve response times during emergencies.