This website is about my Girl Scout Gold Award project. It grew from a personal experience and a desire to help older adults feel safer, more informed, and more confident online.
The issue I aim to address
Protecting older adults from online crime
My Gold Award addresses the susceptibility of older adults to internet and cyber-related crimes. Although people of all ages benefit from internet safety knowledge, older individuals can be especially vulnerable because they may have less experience with rapidly changing technology.
That vulnerability can put personal information, data, and finances at risk. For example, someone who is unfamiliar with text message scams may not question whether a message is legitimate before responding or clicking a link. As artificial intelligence makes scams more convincing, it is becoming even harder to tell what is real.
Through this project, I aim to educate senior citizens about potential dangers online and encourage a more cautious, confident approach to using the internet.
My inspiration
A personal reason to act
My main inspiration for choosing this topic is my grandmother, who unfortunately has fallen victim to online scams on several occasions.
The root cause
Technology changes faster than awareness
The root of this issue is often a lack of experience with technology, compounded by the speed at which it continues to advance. It is increasingly difficult for anyone to stay up to date on emerging internet dangers.
For many older adults, gaps in knowledge, experience, and awareness can increase their exposure to scams. This makes it more likely that money will be sent to the wrong place or that personal data will be stolen. Accessible, current education can help close those gaps and give older adults practical tools to protect themselves.