Senior Legal Council at Gen

Read about the company’s commitment to the communities we live in.

Senior Manager

Community

Summer break has arrived, but some lessons last well beyond the school year.&nbsp;Today’s students will make their first financial decisions in a world shaped by digital banking, AI and constant connectivity. Knowing how to budget, protect your identity, spot scams and make confident decisions online is becoming essential in&nbsp;navigating the future.That’s why Gen is proud to support&nbsp;<a href="https://lifesmarts.org/">LifeSmarts</a>, a free educational program of the National Consumers League, that&nbsp;helps middle and high school students build practical skills for life in an increasingly digital world.&nbsp;Through classroom learning, team competitions and real-world challenges, students gain knowledge in personal finance, consumer awareness, technology and digital safety.&nbsp;This year, Gen sponsored the&nbsp;<a href="https://lifesmarts.org/competitions/nationals/">2026 National LifeSmarts Championship</a>, where students from across the country came together to put those skills into practice.<h2>Learning for the world students actually live in</h2>The decisions young people face today are different than they were even a decade ago. From managing money and shopping online to applying for jobs and communicating with friends, the opportunities are significant – but so are the risks.&nbsp;LifeSmarts students learn how to evaluate financial choices, spot scams, protect personal information and become informed consumers. The program combines education with competition, creating opportunities for students to apply what they've learned in real-world scenarios.Today, LifeSmarts reaches more than 140,000 students annually&nbsp;through a network of schools, educators and student teams across all 50 states.<h2>Expanding access to opportunity</h2>The program plays a significant role in expanding educational opportunities in underserved communities, with three-quarters of participating public schools qualifying as Title I schools in 2024.For many students, attending the National Championship would not be possible without financial support.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moneylion.com/">MoneyLion</a>, part of the Gen family of brands, sponsored alumni lodging scholarships that helped offset travel costs for graduates returning as Alumni Volunteers. Last year, 25 alumni applied for just four lodging scholarships so that they could return as Alumni Volunteers, illustrating both their commitment to LifeSmarts and the need for expanded alumni support and access.&nbsp;By helping more students and alumni attend, the program opens doors to new experiences, new connections and greater confidence in the skills that can shape their future education and career paths.<h2>Where financial literacy meets digital safety</h2>Financial decisions increasingly happen online. So do many of the risks. For today’s generation, financial wellness and digital wellness are increasingly connected.Gen and LifeSmarts are working together to develop&nbsp;<a href="https://lifesmarts.org/resources/">resources</a> that help students understand both sides of the equation – how to manage their money and how to protect themselves online. These resources cover topics including budgeting, saving, digital banking and protecting personal information.These lessons help students understand that financial wellness and digital wellness are closely connected—and that strong habits in both areas can have a lasting impact.<h2>Investing in future-ready skills</h2>The technology students use today will continue to evolve. The ability to make informed decisions, manage money and navigate digital life safely will remain essential.Programs like LifeSmarts help young people build those foundations early, preparing them to navigate an increasingly digital world with greater knowledge and confidence.At Gen, we’re committed to helping people live their digital lives safely and confidently. Supporting the students, educators and communities helping bring that work to life is one way we can help equip the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy.

Building financial literacy and digital safety skills for the next generation

Gen sponsors 2026 National LifeSmarts Championship

Scams have become one of the most complex challenges of the digital age. They move across texts, emails, phone calls, social media and financial accounts—often within minutes. Beyond compromising personal information, they can have lasting financial consequences for individuals and families. Helping people live safer digital lives also means helping protect their financial well-being. Protecting people from scams requires a different approach. One built on stronger partnerships, shared intelligence and a collective commitment to stay ahead of evolving threats.&nbsp;That’s why Gen has joined the <a href="https://www.staysafeonline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Cybersecurity Alliance</a> as well as the <a href="https://scamprevention.aspeninstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leadership Group on Scam Prevention</a>, a new effort from the<a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/financial-security-program/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Aspen Institute Financial Security Program</a>. We’re working alongside organizations including Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft and JPMorganChase to advance practical solutions that help people stay safer online and strengthen their financial security by responding to evolving threats. The goal is straightforward: help more people stay protected from scams.&nbsp;Stronger together&nbsp;Scams don't distinguish between banks, technology companies, telecommunication providers or retailers. Our response can’t either.&nbsp;Through the Leadership Group, Gen will contribute threat intelligence, consumer research and cybersecurity expertise while working alongside industry leaders to strengthen scam prevention, improve information sharing and identify practical ways to protect consumers. Together, we will explore how better data, stronger partnerships and more coordinated action can help stay ahead of rapidly changing scam tactics.&nbsp;&nbsp;Iskander Sanchez-Rola, our Senior Director of AI &amp; Innovation, recently joined the board of the <a href="https://www.staysafeonline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA)</a>. The organization hosts annual public campaigns like Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Data Privacy Week, as well as regular working groups that convene cybersecurity leaders across industries to tackle the most pressing issues facing digital life today. These efforts enable Gen to forge partnerships and work cooperatively on solutions that help people stay safer and more confident in an increasingly connected world. &nbsp;&nbsp;Digital and financial life are closely linked. By joining together with our peers in FinTech and cybersecurity, we’re working to make digital and financial safety accessible, practical and empowering for everyone. &nbsp;Building on existing partnerships&nbsp;Joining NCA and the Aspen Leadership Group builds on work already happening across Gen to strengthen consumer protection through collaboration. &nbsp;Earlier this year, Gen sponsored the Aspen Institute’s <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/2026-leadership-forum-on-inclusive-finance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leadership Forum on Inclusive Finance</a> where business leaders, nonprofit organizations and policymakers explored emerging challenges shaping financial security—from AI to prediction markets and affordability—and the partnerships needed to address them. &nbsp;One message came clear throughout: scams and fraud are no longer separate from financial health. Protecting people’s identities, finances and confidence online is essential to helping them build long-term financial resilience.&nbsp;We also continue our work as a Foundation Member of the<a href="https://gasa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Global Anti-Scam Alliance</a>, collaborating with governments, consumer protection organizations, financial institutions, technology companies and cybersecurity peers to share insights, advance policy discussions and strengthen global responses to online scams.&nbsp;These partnerships complement the work happening across Gen's products, research and public policy efforts, helping bring practical insights to the people and organizations working to protect consumers' personal data, identities and financial information.&nbsp;Looking ahead&nbsp;Cybercriminals continue to adapt. So will we.&nbsp;The future of Cyber Safety and scam prevention won’t be built by any one company, industry or technology alone. It will be built through collaboration – with organizations working together, sharing knowledge and acting quickly as new threats emerge.&nbsp;Through partnerships like NCA and the Aspen Institute’s Leadership Group on Scam Prevention, Gen is helping strengthen that collective response—so more people can navigate digital and financial life with greater security and confidence.&nbsp;Learn more about Gen’s <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/public-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">public policy</a> work.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Collaboration is the Future of Digital Freedom

Gen joins the Aspen Institute’s new Leadership Group on Scam Prevention and the National Cybersecurity Alliance

Sr. Manager, CR and Environment

Today, we released our <a href="https://investor.gendigital.com/files/doc_downloads/2026/06/26/2026-Gen-Social-Impact-Report_FINAL.pdf">FY26 Social Impact Report</a>, and the takeaway is clear: Digital Freedom isn’t a future ambition. We’re actively building it now.The numbers tell a clear story.In a year where technology moved faster than ever, our digital safety and financial wellness programs helped more than 11 million people build the skills, confidence and protection they need to thrive online.Nearly 8,700 nonprofits accessed cybersecurity tools through our product donation programs.And 69% of Gen employees participated in volunteering and giving initiatives—the highest participation rate in our history. We also continued to invest in the technology and research that nearly 500 million users trust to protect their digital and financial lives.Here's a look at some of the work behind those numbers.<h4>Helping more people build digital and financial skills</h4>Technology keeps changing. The skills people need to navigate it safely are changing too.Over the past year, we expanded our digital safety and financial wellness programs through partnerships with educators, nonprofits and community organizations around the world. We updated educational content to address AI, created a new partnership with the Jump$tart Coalition, and worked with Discovery Education, the National Consumers League, and more to help people build practical skills for digital life. My Digital Life, co-created with Discovery Ed, has reached more than 600,000 students globally with lessons focused on misinformation, privacy, AI and more since 2023.<h4>Supporting the communities that support others</h4>Our cybersecurity tools help organizations protect the people who depend on them. Product donations remain an important part of how we extend protection beyond our direct customers.In FY26, Gen donated more than $4.8 million in cybersecurity tools to nonprofits through our partnerships with TechSoup and Charity Digital. These organizations support communities around the world, and stronger digital protection helps them continue that work.<h4>Investing in the people behind the protection</h4>Many of Gen's most impactful initiatives start with our employees.This year, employees logged over 9,400 volunteer hours, our highest on record. We also launched Passion to Purpose, a new initiative that gives employees funding and support to lead community projects connected to causes they care about.We continued investing in learning and development as well. Seventy-five percent of employees participated in learning programs, and 70% completed AI or technology-focused courses aligned with our innovation strategy.<h4>Managing our environmental footprint</h4>We work to support a healthy planet. In FY26, we reduced Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 43%. This was driven by facility and data center consolidation and operational efficiency improvements. We also increased renewable energy use, with 35% of our energy sourced from renewables.<h4>Building for what's next</h4>As technology evolves, so do the opportunities and challenges facing people online.Throughout the year, we continued strengthening our approach to responsible innovation, integrating governance, risk management and ethical oversight into AI development and deployment. We also invested in research and threat intelligence that helps consumers, communities and organizations understand and respond to emerging digital risks.<h4>Looking ahead</h4>The stories in this year's report reflect a simple idea: Digital Freedom is about more than technology. It's about helping people build the knowledge, confidence and protection they need to participate fully in the digital world.Read the full 2026 <a href="https://investor.gendigital.com/files/doc_downloads/2026/06/26/2026-Gen-Social-Impact-Report_FINAL.pdf">Social Impact Report.&nbsp;</a> &nbsp;

Gen releases its 2026 Social Impact Report 

Empowering people. Strengthening communities. Building for the future.

Pride Month doesn't look the same everywhere. And that’s exactly the point. The experiences of LGBTQ+ communities vary across countries, cultures and communities. So do the ways people show their support.&nbsp;This year, Gen employees around the world took part in Pride Month activities—from creating resources for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs online to developing messages of encouragement and belonging for queer communities in India. Different activities. Shared goal: creating an environment where people feel respected, supported and able to be fully themselves.&nbsp;<h2>Showing up in local communities&nbsp;</h2>In Tempe, we hosted a live event with guests from <a href="https://www.theseenlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The SEEN</a>, a local nonprofit that empowers and advocates for the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community, with people sharing personal stories and celebrating with a game of Jeopardy.&nbsp;

In Pune, team members created affirmative posters featuring messages of support, encouragement and inclusion with LGBTQ+ individuals.&nbsp;"Pride isn't just a month; it's a mindset. Our Pune team picked up brushes and painted what inclusion looks like. Every poster, a promise. Every color, a commitment. ” Pallavi Sharma Patil, Pune&nbsp;

Team members from all around the world volunteered virtually to develop financial aid resources for LGBTQ+ youth entrepreneurs. The goal: increase visibility for queer-owned businesses and connect aspiring entrepreneurs with tools for growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;While each initiative reflected different needs and perspectives, they shared a common belief: everyone deserves the opportunity to live, contribute and participate in their communities authentically. &nbsp;<h2>Building belonging all year long&nbsp;</h2>The work doesn't stop when Pride Month ends.&nbsp;Throughout the year, Communities@Gen, our employee resource groups, help employees connect around shared experiences, build networks and foster a culture of belonging. PROUD, Gen's LGBTQ+ employee community, plays an important role in that effort - creating opportunities and allies to learn from one another, build alongside each other and share ideas around inclusion across the company.&nbsp;Because when people can show up as they are, stronger communities follow.&nbsp;To learn more, visit our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/inclusion-and-belonging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inclusion and Belonging website</a>. &nbsp;

Gen teams support LGBTQ+ communities around the world 

Showing Up for Pride

We work with education partners all over the world to help students build strong, lasting digital safety habits. And we equip teachers with tools and resources that make those digital skills part of everyday learning in their school curriculums, not a one-off lesson.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2021, more than 42,300 students across 200 schools have taken part in Cyber Safety training through a collaboration between Norton, part of the Gen family of brands, and Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children – India).&nbsp;&nbsp;The focus is practical: helping young people recognize online risks and build habits that keep them safer—from spotting scams to protecting their personal information. And by bringing teachers and families into the learning process, the program ensures those behaviors don’t stop at the classroom door.&nbsp;

<h2>How it works&nbsp;</h2>We start early and keep it relevant. Students ages 10-16 learn practical Cyber Safety skills through age-based lessons covering topics like scams, phishing and online privacy. Many schools also run Cyber Safety Clubs to keep those habits going beyond the classroom.&nbsp;&nbsp;Teachers are trained alongside students with tools they can use every day — not just once.&nbsp;And the learning doesn’t stop at school. Workshops bring in parents, caregivers, School Management Committees and even local law enforcement, so the same messages show up at school, at home and in the community.&nbsp;Between April 2025 and March 2026 alone, these sessions reached more than 9,400 people, including nearly 7,800 students and more than 1,700 caregivers.&nbsp;<h2>The results are in. The impact is clear. &nbsp;</h2><ul type="disc"><li data-list-item-id="e50336e8fde80f2a8f28a0d021f201cb1">99.5% of students surveyed showed improved digital safety knowledge&nbsp;</li><li data-list-item-id="e728025570a6c3d168ca5e928feab5a43">Students scoring 70% or higher on the Cyber Safety assessment increased from 5% before the session to 91% afterwards&nbsp;</li><li data-list-item-id="e3ea6261ccdf7b675e38313b9e0410513">96% of parents said the training helped them guide their children&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li data-list-item-id="e4bc2abde24be47a263d698de4f102fee">91% of teachers saw positive changes in digital behavior, like stronger passwords and scam awareness&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>These results come from a sample of schools in Pune, Maharashtra and Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu that have been running the program for at least a year. &nbsp;

<h2>Why this approach matters&nbsp;</h2>This work in India is part of something bigger.&nbsp;Across the globe, Gen is helping expand access to digital education that is locally relevant, scalable and built to last—so more people can navigate the digital world with confidence.&nbsp;We’re building on this through partnerships with Discovery Education on <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/discovery-education-ai-curriculum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI literacy</a> and our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/community/financial-literacy-month-2026" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">financial wellness efforts</a> with the Jump$tart Coalition and the National Consumers League.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How our partnership with Save the Children India builds safer digital habits

Expanding Digital Education for Students in India

The theme of this year’s Data Privacy Week is: Take Control of Your Data. At Gen, we want to motivate you to do just that. As every aspect of our lives increasingly moves into the digital realm, understanding data privacy is becoming an essential life skill for all of us. Despite being asked to ‘accept all cookies’ or ‘share location’ daily, many of us are unsure about exactly what these actions do. Once something is posted online, it can remain there indefinitely, and its impact may resurface in unexpected ways. Taking proactive steps now can prevent future regrets.&nbsp;<h2>Push Your Understanding: What Does ‘Accepting all Cookies’ Really Mean?&nbsp;</h2>This action allows a site to track your browsing history, location and other personal data even across other websites. Companies can then use this information to create a profile for you and sell it to advertisers. While in most cases this data is used for legitimate purposes that don’t present any risk to you, in the worst-case scenario, this information could also end up in the hands of cybercriminals.&nbsp;<h2>Going Deeper: Have you Heard of the Privacy Paradox?&nbsp;</h2>There is growing discussion around the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0736585317302022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Privacy Paradox</a>–the discrepancy between our attitude about online privacy and our actual behavior. This manifests as you or I expressing significant privacy concerns but then taking little action to protect ourselves.&nbsp;Several recent surveys indicate that the vast majority of respondents have significant concerns about their online privacy and security. However, these concerns often fail to translate into meaningful action. As an example, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/10/18/how-americans-protect-their-online-data/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to a 2023 report from Pew Research</a>, only 49% of U.S. adults report stopping using a digital device, website or app over worries about how their personal information was being used and only 44% chose to use a browser or search engine that didn’t track activities.&nbsp;Ultimately, we often prioritize convenience while underestimating the risks, especially when the consequences of privacy breaches feel abstract or distant. These risks, however, are tangible and can have real-world implications. For instance, the financial and emotional toll of a ransomware attack is comparable to that of a burglary. Just as we secure our homes, we should approach our digital safety with the same level of seriousness and diligence.&nbsp;<h2>Take Action: Secure Your Data &nbsp;</h2>Data Privacy Week is a great time to take steps to secure your digital footprint. Here are two things you can do in just five minutes to take control of your data. &nbsp;<ol><li>Review and update your privacy settings. Review your privacy settings on major platforms that you use often (for example, social media apps and browsers). Disable unnecessary permissions such as location tracking, microphone access, sharing full photo libraries or sharing personal information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Clear your cookies and cache. Regularly clearing your cookies and cache helps remove stored data that websites use to track behavior and reduces your digital footprint. Simply click on “Settings” in your browser and navigate over to privacy and security controls to make these changes.&nbsp;</li></ol>At Gen, we’re dedicated to privacy protection and the Cyber Safety of our nearly 500 million users every day. Learn more about our dedication to privacy protection <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/data-privacy-and-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. And for more tips on how to protect yourself online, check out these posts from two of our trusted Cyber Safety brands <a href="https://www.avast.com/c-topic-privacy-tips" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Avast</a> and <a href="https://us.norton.com/blog/privacy/protecting-privacy-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Norton</a>.&nbsp;

Ondřej Kramoliš

Posts by Ondřej Kramoliš

Turning Privacy Concerns Into Action