Tejasvi Manoj: The trailblazing teenager who is saving 'vulnerable' senior citizens from digital scams through her AI platform

The digital landscape is advancing every day with new updates, each of which makes daily tasks more efficient. However, just as a coin has two sides, so do these digital platforms.

Online scams are increasingly targeting vulnerable populations, especially older people who fall prey to malicious scams, leading to financial losses that leave an indelible traumatic mark on aged people.Amid this, one teenager is making headlines with her innovative solution. At just 17 years old, she has taken on the challenge of protecting senior citizens from cyber fraud. Her journey begins with a personal experience that revealed an alarming gap in cybersecurity awareness among older adults, which she’s now determined to bridge.

TIME’s kid of the year!

Seventeen‑year‑old Indian‑origin student Tejasvi Manoj, based in Texas, has been honored as TIME’s 2025 Kid of the Year for founding Shield Seniors, a platform safeguarding older adults against online scams and fraud. Born in California and raised in Dallas from age eight in a family of software‑engineer parents, Tejasvi developed a passion for coding in middle school through programs like Girls Who Code. “That’s when I realised how amazing coding can be and how much I enjoy it.

Moreover, I understood the impact I can make by learning to code, and I instantly knew I wanted to pursue it in the future,” she said, according to a report by the Global Indian.Her mission began in early 2024, when her grandfather nearly fell victim to a phishing scam. “I read the message, and it was obvious it was a scam… I was surprised my grandfather couldn’t spot it,” Tejasvi told the Global Indian. This event led her to research senior citizens’ vulnerability to cyber threats.

She learned that over 75 percent of seniors lacked basic cybersecurity knowledge, and in 2024 alone, they lost more than $3 billion to cyber fraud, which makes it an average of about $33,000 per victim.

Determined to create a solution, Tejasvi built Shield Seniors, an AI‑based web platform with four user‑friendly sections tailored for older users:

Tejasvi is a TEDx speaker

Beyond the digital tool, Tejasvi has been actively educating her community by delivering a TEDx talk, earning an honorable mention in the Congressional App Challenge, and conducting hands-on workshops at senior centers.

Youth Service America reports that she also volunteers with refugee tutoring and food assistance programs, plans to expand Shield Seniors into an Android app, and looks forward to intergenerational cybersecurity awareness programs where youth help their elders stay safe.Online scams against seniors remain a serious issue, costing billions annually, making Shield Seniors an especially relevant and timely intervention, and with her commitment to technology, education, and empathy, Tejasvi Manoj exemplifies how youth can drive meaningful change.