Regulation

Uganda plans to create telco database for SIMs used by children

Uganda plans to create telco database for SIMs used by children

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is reportedly looking to establish legal measures that would require parents to report all SIM cards used by their children as an online safety move.

According to ITWeb Africa, UCC executive director Nyombi Thembo said the measure would enable telcos to create dedicated databases for child-held devices, which he said would help protect minors online amid rising cases of abuse targeting children, the report said.

Thembo added that children who go online are exposed to serious risks, including cyberbullying, harmful content, online grooming and exploitation. A recent UCC survey found that up to 88.5% of secondary students in Uganda face digital risks such as cyberbullying, hate speech and misinformation, while just over 70% encounter explicit sexual messages, images and videos.

Thembo also urged parents to share the responsibility for protecting children online, the report said. “Parents are the primary gatekeepers. As regulators, we plan to launch major annual engagements that bring parents together with key community organisations to raise awareness of online child safety.”

Thembo announced the plan on Thursday during the regulator’s Testbest Hackathon event at the Uganda Institute of Information Technology in Nakawa. The event’s theme centred on using AI to create safe cyber-spaces for children.

According to the Ecofin news agency, the UCC has been leading discussions on the topic of online child safety in recent months. Last month, the UCC organised a meeting with public authorities, telcos, schools and civil society organizations, in which participants called on MTN, Airtel, Lyca Mobile and UTel to strengthen harmful content filtering, parental control and anti-spam tools.

In August, the UCC and Next Media group launched a three-year national campaign to raise awareness among children, parents and teachers about cyberbullying, harmful content, scams and online exploitation.



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