About
Older adults and vulnerable populations are some of the most susceptible people to cyber crime. Many feel ashamed to disclose being victims. There’s a noticeable shortage in relevant educational resources for "everyday" cyber crime victims, despite the fact that cyber crime is rising in frequency and complexity. In 2024 there were over 3000 data breaches in the US, and over a billion people were impacted by their data being compromised.
To help under resourced victims, especially older adults, we have developed free "cyber care" curriculum that covers cybersecurity basics, online safety practices, and tips on maintaining good cyber hygiene. Additionally, we serve people with disabilities, health conditions, and low-income or disadvantaged groups.
We continually update our workshops to include new information on trends in common cyber scams, the role of artificial intelligence in cyber crime, and we suggest resources and best practices to our workshop participants. As of 2024, the Cyber Care Institute (which is part of our Learn About Data project) was born. Our goal is to provide free and accessible education on cybersecurity topics for older adults and vulnerable populations that is easy to understand and has a positive impact.
Left: Cybersecurity awareness workshop at Riverside Church.
Right: Cybersecurity awareness workshop at Morningside Retirement.
Image in header by the Knight Foundation.
Who We Are
Laura Scherling, Ed.D. is the founder of this project. While conducting research for her book, the Future of Hacking, it was clear that few supports for hacking victims, particularly older adults, exist. Scherling, who is a designer and author who researches topics like digital transformation and tech ethics, decided to create an open access course. Scherling is a director and a lecturer at Columbia University.
Josefina Piddo is a graduate student at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Josefina is a journalist and communications specialist (MS in Strategic Communications), and worked previously with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Patrimony in Chile.
Have you been hacked? If you are in danger and live in the USA, call 911.
If you are not in immediate danger, we recommend these resources:
Identity Theft Resource Center
© 2025 Learn About Data / Cyber Care Institute