The Media Center of Egypt’s Cabinet reviewed the “Itman” and “Itman Ala Al-Akhar” services, known as the “child SIM,” as tools to help families regulate children’s access to the internet through mobile phones. The two services provide different levels of restriction depending on the age group and the required degree of protection, without the need to purchase a new SIM card.
The presentation appeared in a video published by the center through its platforms, with the participation of engineer Mohamed Ibrahim, the official spokesperson for the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, and Dr. Sahar El-Sonbaty, president of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood. The proposal links internet access for learning, communication, and skill development with limiting exposure to harmful or inappropriate content.
What Does the “Itman” Service Provide?
The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority explained that the “Itman” service adjusts the level of protection to suit the child’s age and includes preventing access to harmful websites and inappropriate applications. The examples mentioned include betting applications and violent games, in addition to restricting the use of virtual private network (VPN) services that may be used to bypass some protection systems.
The service also enables safe browsing and the SafeSearch feature on the leading search engines. The authority also indicated that the list of restricted websites, applications, and services is updated continuously.
Stronger Protection for Younger Age Groups
The “Itman Ala Al-Akhar” service includes all the features of “Itman,” but adds the prevention of access to social media websites and applications. According to the official spokesperson’s explanation, this service targets a younger age group and provides an additional level of restrictions for families that want to limit their children’s access to these applications and the content associated with them.
Activation Does Not Require a New SIM Card
A parent can request a subscription to either service at mobile operator branches or complete the process electronically through the operators’ applications. The service is activated on the SIM card already used by the child, rather than replacing it with a separate SIM card.
Why Does This News Matter?
What is notable about this step is that it provides protection at the network-connection level, rather than treating it merely as family awareness advice. This may help reduce access to specific categories of content before they reach the child’s device, while leaving room to use the internet for education, knowledge, and entertainment.
However, the available information does not include subscription fees, the names of the participating mobile operators, or the precise age groups for each level of protection. It also does not clarify how cases are handled when the classifications of websites and applications change. Therefore, these details remain important for families before deciding to subscribe, and technical filtering alone is not sufficient as a substitute for family supervision and digital awareness.
Alongside the restriction tools, Sahar El-Sonbaty pointed to the role of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood in raising awareness through the “Waei” platform and the “Waei” and “Waeya” characters, in addition to the Child Helpline “16000” for receiving reports related to children’s exposure to danger, including digital risks, while evaluating the reports, referring them to the competent authorities, and maintaining the confidentiality of the child’s data.