June 11 (UPI) — Canada is considering banning children and young teens from social media sites, joining a growing list of countries making the change.

Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller introduced the Safe Social Media Act on Wednesday. The law would require safety measures on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, X and SnapChat, as well as artificial intelligence chatbots.

“Our parents cannot face these challenges alone, and the safety of children cannot be an afterthought,” Miller said. “We need basic protection in place, so every child in this country can be safe on platforms they use every day.”

The House of Commons and Senate must pass the measure before it can become law.

The legislation would require social media companies to block users younger than 16 from creating accounts, though they could apply for exemptions if they have measures in place to prevent harm, including bullying and content that encourages self-harm or body dysmorphia. It would also force companies to remove sexually explicit content that victimizes children and adults, such as deepfakes.

The law creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada that would oversee and enforce the proposed regulations.

AI chatbots aren’t included in the ban, but they will have stronger regulations, such as a rule that directs users to help when prompts discuss suicide ideation, crime or self-harm.

Excluding some users from social media platforms instead of establishing effective regulations to make the Internet better for everyone, “feels like a Band-Aid solution,” Dr. Michael Geist, a professor at the University of Ottawa who studies technology regulation, told The New York Times.

Julia Perreira, a spokesperson from Meta, told The Times the company is looking at the details of the proposed law.

“Like lawmakers, we want safe, positive online experiences for young people,” she said, but she also called social media bans “counterproductive.”

“With teens using more than 40 apps weekly, it is important that any regulations apply equally across the many apps,” she said.

Several other countries have considered or passed similar laws. Australia enacted its law, while Great Britain’s lawmakers rejected a similar measure. There is also a measure in the French National Assembly to do the same. Spain, Greece, Denmark and Ireland are considering similar laws.