In a world increasingly dependent on digital technology, online fraud has emerged as a global menace, preying on the most vulnerable. Among the worst affected are senior citizens, many of whom struggle to navigate the rapidly changing digital landscape. Standing tall against this threat is 17-year-old Tejasvi Manoj from Frisco, Texas, who has been named TIME Magazine’s 2025 Kid of the Year. Her pioneering work to protect older adults from cybercrime through her initiative, Shield Seniors, has earned her international acclaim and established her as a young leader with both vision and empathy.

Inspiration Born From a Family Incident

Tejasvi’s mission to fight online scams began with a deeply personal experience. In February 2024, while returning home from a Scouting America camp, she learnt that her 85-year-old grandfather had nearly fallen victim to a phishing scam. The fraudulent email claimed to be from a distant relative urgently requesting $2,000 to clear a debt. Convinced of its urgency, he was ready to act before Tejasvi’s father intervened. A quick phone call revealed the request was entirely fake.

Witnessing how even experienced and cautious adults could be deceived left a deep impression on the teenager. Instead of merely moving on, she decided to channel her technological skills towards creating solutions. By researching cyber fraud patterns, studying how criminals target senior citizens, and exploring the growing impact of scams worldwide, Tejasvi laid the foundation for what would become her flagship project – Shield Seniors.

Building Shield Seniors, a Platform For Empowerment

Shield Seniors is a comprehensive cyber safety platform designed with senior citizens in mind. Unlike complex tools that are difficult for older adults to navigate, this one uses simplicity and accessibility as its core principles. It has four main features:

The “Learn” section teaches seniors about internet safety in plain language, covering basics such as creating secure passwords, recognising fake charities, and avoiding calls for urgent payments. The “Ask” feature uses an AI-powered chatbot that explains concepts in two clear sentences, minimising confusion. Through the “Analyse” tool, users can upload suspicious emails or texts to be scanned by an AI system with 95 percent accuracy, providing not only results but also explanations. Finally, the “Report” section connects users to agencies like the FBI, SEC, and AARP, empowering them to take official action when fraud is suspected.

This thoughtful design ensures that older users can remain independent online without having to depend constantly on family members. Shield Seniors combines education, prevention, and reporting support, making it a powerful tool to address a pressing global issue.

Recognition and Balancing Multiple Passions

Tejasvi’s achievements go beyond technology. She is a dedicated high school student, a violinist in her school orchestra, and a committed volunteer. Her contributions include tutoring Bhutanese refugees, serving on the North Texas Food Bank Young Advocates Council, and earning the rare honour of Eagle Scout rank. All these experiences reflect her belief that community service and innovation must go hand in hand.

Recognition has quickly followed her remarkable journey. In 2024, she received an honourable mention at the Congressional App Challenge for Shield Seniors. In 2025, she delivered a TEDx talk highlighting ways to narrow the digital divide for senior citizens. These milestones culminated with her selection as TIME’s Kid of the Year, alongside the distinction of TIME for Kids Service Star. Each accolade reflects not just her technical brilliance but also her conviction to use knowledge for broader impact.

A Growing Crisis of Cybercrime Targeting Seniors

The urgency of Tejasvi’s mission is underlined by staggering statistics. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, nearly 860,000 cases of online scams were reported in 2024, with estimated losses exceeding $16 billion. Among these, individuals over the age of 60 lost close to $5 billion—an alarming 32 percent jump from the previous year. Reports also show that older adults experiencing losses exceeding $10,000 quadrupled between 2020 and 2024, while similar cases involving over $100,000 rose sevenfold.

These numbers are a sobering reminder of the risks faced by retirees and pensioners globally. Tejasvi’s Shield Seniors directly addresses this crisis by equipping individuals with tools that not only detect but also prevent potential scams. Her initiative has demonstrated that an empathetic approach, backed by technology, can change how seniors interact with the online world.

Mentorship, Vision, and the Road Ahead

Though still in private preview mode, Shield Seniors has already had a significant impact. Tejasvi acknowledges the role of mentorship in her journey, especially guidance from her parents, both IT professionals, and industry mentor Aarathi Rajamanickam, who helped her refine her skills in cybersecurity and AI. Her experiences with Girls Who Code and Cyber-Patriot provided her with the technical grounding required to develop robust solutions.

Now, her focus is on expanding her platform for wider reach. At present, it runs on a free AI engine with limited capacity. Tejasvi is raising funds to move Shield Seniors onto a commercial AI framework so millions of seniors can access its features. She is also working on conducting in-person workshops in assisted-living facilities, where seniors can learn practical digital safety skills.

Her vision is not limited to just teaching internet security. She wants to instil confidence among older adults so that they can engage online without fear of exploitation. In her words, the true success of Shield Seniors will be when seniors no longer think of themselves as passive victims but as empowered users capable of protecting themselves.

As TIME’s Kid of the Year 2025, Tejasvi Manoj has shown that even the toughest global challenges can be addressed through the commitment of one determined teenager. Her story is proof that technology fused with empathy can make the digital world a safer place—not just for seniors, but for society as a whole.

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