Russia Unveils Innovative SIM Cards for Child Safety and Parental Control

Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development plans to launch a new kind of SIM card intended for children, according to reports from state media on Wednesday.

This innovative SIM card will feature internet traffic filtering, improved parental control options, and the capability for location tracking without requiring a court order, as Minister Maksut Shadayev announced at a forum organized by the volunteer rescue organization LizaAlert.

Shadayev initially suggested the idea of child-specific SIM cards for those under 14 back in August, which would limit access to certain online services, including social media, in order to enhance the safety of minors on the internet.

«We are now rolling out what we refer to as ‘children’s SIM cards’,» Shadayev stated. «Parents will be able to request geolocation information regarding their children without the need for judicial approval,» he added.

The minister did not clarify when these children’s SIM cards would be officially available.

Several of Russia’s leading mobile carriers currently offer special plans tailored for children, which include protections against spam and fraud, as well as restrictions on mobile internet activity.

Shadayev noted that this initiative is also aimed at elderly citizens, who will be able to designate a trusted individual to access their location data via Russia’s public service portal, Gosuslugi, facilitating quicker emergency responses.