At just 17, Tejasvi Manoj has emerged as a powerful voice for online safety, creating “Shield Seniors,” a platform designed to help older adults avoid cyber fraud. Named TIME’s Kid of the Year 2025, she represents a generation harnessing technology not only to innovate but to protect the most vulnerable.
A Grandfather’s Close Call Inspires a Mission
The spark for Tejasvi’s journey came in February 2024, when her grandfather nearly fell victim to a scammer posing as a relative demanding money. The scheme was quickly exposed, but the incident left Tejasvi shaken. “I was surprised there was such a lack of awareness among my grandparents,” she recalled. The episode revealed a deeper problem: millions of older adults lacked the knowledge to protect themselves online. That personal alarm soon evolved into a project with global resonance.
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Building “Shield Seniors”
Determined to act, Tejasvi launched Shield Seniors, a website that empowers older adults with tools to recognize and avoid online scams. The platform teaches cybersecurity basics, integrates a chatbot for simple answers, leverages AI to analyze suspicious messages, and directs victims to proper reporting agencies. Her vision was clear: ensure that seniors could navigate the digital world with independence, confidence, and dignity.
Her initiative quickly drew recognition, earning her an honorable mention at the Congressional App Challenge and an invitation to deliver a TEDx talk in Plano, Texas. Local seniors flocked to her seminars, where she patiently explained phishing risks, deepfakes, and fraud red flags. “People were taking notes in their notepads,” she recalled. “At the end, some came up to me with questions—and I was able to help them.”
Recognition and the Road Ahead
The urgency of her work is underscored by sobering statistics: online scams targeting older adults caused nearly $5 billion in losses in 2024 alone, according to TIME. Shield Seniors, however, is just the beginning for Tejasvi. Alongside tutoring refugees and playing violin in her school orchestra, she plans to pursue computer science at university with a focus on AI or cybersecurity.
“Just check up on your loved ones,” she advises families. “Make sure they’re staying safe online.”
As she charts her path forward, Tejasvi embodies a new kind of leadership—youth-led, purpose-driven, and deeply rooted in empathy. Her recognition as TIME’s Kid of the Year 2025 is not just a personal milestone but a call to action in an era where online safety is as vital as physical security.