From Prodigy to 'Everything Is Fake': How We Got Here (and What the UK Online Safety Act Means for Families)

The internet didn't lose its mind. It did exactly what we rewarded.

If you've caught yourself thinking, "I don't know what to believe online anymore," you are not being dramatic. You are noticing a real shift.

Because the internet didn't just become noisier. It became performative.

And the most unsettling part isn't that there's harmful content out there. It's that so much of what we see now is engineered to look convincing, whether it's true or not.

The early days: when the gatekeepers were obvious

There was a time when going online meant entering a place with clearer rules. Early services like Prodigy, CompuServe, and AOL weren't the wild open web — they were more like digital neighbourhoods.

You logged in through a front door, and someone decided what was allowed inside.

That didn't make the early internet perfect, but it did shape expectations: if you saw something on-screen, it felt more trustworthy because it had passed through a gate.

When the gates came down (and the feed moved in)

As the open web grew, the centre of gravity shifted. Instead of a few curated spaces, we got billions of pages, then billions of people, then billions of posts.

And then came the biggest change of all: platforms stopped being 'places you visit' and became 'feeds that follow you.'

• Discovery replaced intention. You didn't search for something. It found you.
• Speed beat accuracy. The fastest story often won, even if it wasn't true.
• Engagement became the scoreboard. What got clicks, comments, and shares got amplified.

In other words, the gatekeepers didn't disappear. They changed shape — from humans and editorial rules to algorithms and incentives.

Welcome to the 'everything is fake' era

Today's online risk isn't just bad content. It's the growing difficulty of knowing what's real.

'Fake' now shows up in everyday places:

• Fake people: bots, impersonation accounts, and AI-generated profile photos
• Fake proof: edited screenshots, out-of-context clips, and manufactured outrage
• Fake trust: reviews, testimonials, and "expert" accounts that look legitimate
• Fake urgency: scams that pressure you to act fast ('last chance', 'account locked', 'mum I lost my phone')

And here's the truth: a lot of this isn't a glitch. It's a feature.

When attention is the product, the system naturally promotes whatever keeps you watching. Not whatever keeps you well-informed.

Why kids are caught in the crossfire (without the fear)

Kids aren't behind. They are developing.

Children aged 5–10 are building skills like:

• recognising patterns
• understanding intent ("why is someone saying this?")
• separating pretend from persuasive
• knowing when to ask a trusted adult

That's normal. It's also why online safety works best when it's taught like road safety: calm, repeatable and practised.

So where does the UK Online Safety Act fit in?

The UK Online Safety Act is designed to push responsibility upstream — onto the services that host and recommend content, rather than placing the entire burden on families.

In plain English, the direction of travel is:

• Platforms must assess and reduce risks (especially for children)
• Safety features and reporting should be easier to find and use
• Age-appropriate experiences should be the default where services are likely to be used by children
• Enforcement has teeth: Ofcom can investigate and issue penalties when companies don't meet their duties

This matters because it acknowledges a truth many parents already feel: you can't out-parent a system designed to maximise attention.

What it won't do

Even with stronger rules, no law can instantly remove every harmful post or prevent every scam. And it can't replace the most powerful protection kids can have: skills.

Think of the Act as improving the roads and adding speed limits. Families still benefit from teaching children how to cross safely.

A practical, empowering family approach: Spot. Stop. Share. Shield.

If the online world is full of shape-shifters, kids need a simple way to respond. Here's a calm, repeatable framework you can use at home:

• Spot: "Does this look real? Does it look too perfect? Too urgent?"
• Stop: "Pause. No clicking when you feel rushed."
• Share: "Show a trusted adult if you're unsure."
• Shield: "Use privacy settings, strong passwords, and safe choices."

Two scripts you can borrow

Ages 5–7:

• "If it makes you feel wobbly, we stop and tell a grown-up."
• "We don't talk to strangers online, even if they sound friendly."

Ages 8–10:

• "If someone is rushing you, that's a clue. Real helpers don't pressure you."
• "Before you believe it, check it: who posted it, why, and what they want you to do."

The hopeful part (because this is fixable)

Yes, the internet has changed — from gated communities to algorithmic megacities, and now into an era where reality can be edited, generated, and gamed.

But the goal isn't to scare kids away from the digital world. It's to raise children who can enjoy it with confidence.

The Online Safety Act can help make platforms safer by design. And families can do the equally important work of building everyday judgement — one small, repeatable habit at a time.

If you want a simple next step

Pick one routine this week:

• Do a 2-minute "real or fake?" check together on a harmless post or ad
• Practise the phrase: "Pause. Then ask."
• Review one privacy setting on the apps your family uses most

Small reps build strong instincts. And strong instincts are the best defence in a world where 'everything is fake'.