Hindi’s remarks came during a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Communications and Information Technology, where he affirmed that the SIM is designed to give parents more effective monitoring and control tools.
The session also discussed proposals for a new law regulating children’s use of social media applications and websites, where several ministers and officials outlined the state’s vision for enhancing online safety for minors.
During the session, Hindi explained that the draft law under preparation is based on international experiences, which have included measures such as raising the minimum age for platform use and imposing fines on digital platforms.
However, he noted that many of these models faced implementation challenges. The goal, he said, is to develop a balanced and practical framework that protects children without depriving them of the benefits of the digital space.
Hindi added that the digital environment is no longer just a source of information but a fully integrated space that influences children’s behaviour, stressing the need for digital platforms to verify user ages while safeguarding data privacy.
For his part, President of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) Mohamed Shamroukh stated that technical preparations for the child-dedicated SIM card are being finalized in coordination with telecom companies, with commercial rollout expected soon across all operators.
During the session, Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif said artificial intelligence represents the most significant development in education in the past century, highlighting its role in fostering innovation and critical thinking skills among students.
He added that introducing programming into the curriculum from the secondary level is not aimed solely at producing programmers, but at developing logical thinking and technological literacy essential for modern careers.
Abdel-Latif emphasized that students with programming skills will have a strong advantage in the job market, urging them to engage responsibly with social media platforms and choose content that enhances their knowledge.
On her side, Minister of Culture Gihane Zaki said supporting arts and creativity is a key tool in protecting children from harmful digital content, describing creativity as the true opposite of extremism.
She noted that the ministry already has several cultural platforms and applications offering meaningful content, but they suffer from limited promotion.
Zaki highlighted platforms such as “Kitabi,” which provides thousands of books, and “Memory of the City,” which introduces users to historical places and figures, stressing that the main challenge is no longer content creation but reaching audiences.
During the session, President of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) Sahar El-Sonbaty stressed the importance of producing digital content and games for children that reflect Egyptian values and culture instead of relying on imported material.
She warned about content that may carry inappropriate messages for children, proposing measures such as age-based content classification, digital tools to block harmful material, and enhanced parental monitoring systems while maintaining data privacy through a governmental intermediary.
The parliamentary session comes as part of the state’s broader move to establish a new legislative framework regulating children’s use of social media platforms, aiming to balance digital protection with the opportunities offered by the evolving technological landscape amidst growing concerns over online risks facing children.
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