Olivia woke up one morning and reached for her phone. She opened TikTok, looking for some videos to kick start her day. Instead she got a red screen with the message: "Account suspended". Olivia's life would never be the same again.

A social media ban might seem ridiculous. But for younger teenagers in Britain it might be about to become reality.

This Wednesday, OfcomThe Office of Communications regulates broadcasting, telecommunications and the postal industry in the UK.  revealed a draft of its new rules. Under them users will have to prove they are over 13 years old using photo ID. Tech firms that do not comply with the rules will be fined heavily.

This could see millions of accounts closed. As many as 51% children aged three to 12 use a social media app.

Yet this might be only the tip of the iceberg. If tech firms do not follow new rules to protect children, the ban will be extended to everyone under 18.

The changes follow the UK government's new Online Safety Act which aims to make technology companies more responsible for children's safety online. It follows several deaths connected with social media. The new restrictions hope to prevent further such tragedies.

The act's supporters claim that social media fails to protect young people from a huge amount of harmful material. The government believes that 60% of teenagers are witnessing real-life acts of violence on social media.

Some think the new laws do not go far enough and that teenagers could find a way around the ban. Hollie Dance, whose 12-year-old son died in a TikTok stunt, says "a third of teenagers online are actually using an adult age". 

Is this a real turning point?

Yes! Social media has grown more and more powerful. The UK government has finally hit back.

No! Social media companies already fail to remove harmful content, so they are unlikely to be much better at banning underage users.