New 'Kids' SIM cards' launched: Parents can track location, monitor activity!

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Australia enacted laws regarding internet access, while Memphis also tightened some rules. Amidst all this, Russia has decided to gift SIM cards to its children. According to Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, this will allow parents to track their children's locations.

Russia's Ministry of Digital Development is introducing a new type of SIM card for children, state media agency TASS reported. Minister Maksut Shadayev announced this on Wednesday at a forum of the volunteer search-and-rescue group LizaAlert. He said the new SIM card will filter traffic, provide better parental controls, and allow location tracking without a court order.

However, this isn't the first time such a proposal has been discussed. Shadev first proposed SIM cards for children under 14 in August 2025, with restrictions on certain services like social media logins to prevent minors from engaging in inappropriate activities. Shadev said, "We are now introducing 'children's SIM cards.' Parents will be able to request geolocation data for their children without a court order." However, the minister did not specify when children's SIM cards would be available.

According to TASS, some of Russia's major mobile operators already offer special tariff plans for children, which include extra protection against spam and fake accounts, as well as limits on mobile internet usage. Shadayev said this initiative will also apply to senior citizens. They will be able to choose a trusted person to access their geolocation data through Russia's public services portal, "Gosuslugi," so they can receive immediate help if they are in trouble or face an emergency.