After Losing Her Online Safety, Jocelyn King Is Helping Others Reclaim Theirs in the Age of AI

Cybercrime survivor, Silicon Valley executive, and online safety advocate announces newly released book, Digital Self-Defense in an AI World

SANTA CLARA, CA, UNITED STATES, October 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — by Karen Hall, Media and Leadership Strategist

Most people believe it could never happen to them.

Until it does.

For Jocelyn King, what began as a cybercrime evolved into a life-altering ordeal that would challenge her finances, her relationships, her peace of mind, and ultimately her sense of safety.

Today, King is recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on online and AI safety, cybersecurity awareness, and digital self-defense, having been named a Top 10 Woman in Cybersecurity. As founder and CEO of Smarter Online Safety, keynote speaker, podcast host, and 20-year Silicon Valley executive, she is helping both individuals and organizations navigate the growing risks of an increasingly connected world.

But her mission did not begin in a boardroom.

It began in survival.

A few years ago while working in Silicon Valley AI and machine learning, King became the target of a sophisticated cybercrime campaign that escalated far beyond identity theft. What followed was a devastating series of events that included major financial loss, cyberstalking, invasions of home privacy, emotional trauma, and profound personal disruption.

King was not alone. The FBI reports that financial losses now average $20,699 per cybercrime complaint reported to the agency in 2025 and roughly $120,000 for a small business to recover from an attack. IBM reports a staggering $11.5 million in losses for a U.S. corporate data breach.

For King, the experience would eventually lead to years of recovery, stress-related health issues, and the difficult process of rebuilding her life.

What she lost was far more than money.

She lost something many people take for granted.

She lost her sense of safety.

“When your privacy is violated and your life is turned upside down, it changes the way you see the world,” King shared. “You begin to question who you can even trust and whether you’ll ever feel safe again.”

The emotional aftermath became its own battle.

As she worked to recover, King discovered that the greatest damage caused by cybercrime is often invisible. Beyond financial losses are the sleepless nights, the anxiety, the hypervigilance, the broken trust, and the fear that follows people long after the headlines fade.

For many victims, the trauma becomes the longest-lasting consequence.

Yet King’s story is not one of victimhood.

It is a story of resilience.

One small step at a time, she began rebuilding. Through perseverance, education, and a renewed sense of purpose, she transformed one of the darkest chapters of her life into a learning journey with some of the top cybersecurity leaders and cybercrime fighters that forged her mission to help others protect themselves from experiencing the same pain.

Today, she speaks openly about the importance of reclaiming personal power after trauma and refusing to allow fear to define the future.

Rather than asking, “Why did this happen to me?” she chose to ask a different question:
“Where is the comprehensive, yet simple checklist to protect yourself online?” When she couldn’t find it anywhere it became her mission to create it to help others.

That question became the foundation of Smarter Online Safety and a growing movement dedicated to empowering individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and organizations with practical tools for protecting themselves online without having to learn complex cybersecurity and technical jargon.

Her message has become increasingly relevant as artificial intelligence introduces new threats, including deepfake scams, digital impersonation, identity theft, online fraud, and sophisticated social engineering attacks.

As AI accelerates the capabilities of hackers and scammers and blurs the line between digital and physical safety, King believes personal online safety awareness has become one of the most important forms of self-defense.

This mission is at the heart of her newly released book, Digital Self-Defense in an AI World: How to Protect Yourself Online.

Written in everyday language rather than technology jargon, the book provides practical strategies and simple steps to help readers safeguard their identities, protect their families, recognize emerging threats, and navigate the digital world with increased confidence and safety. As King reflects, “I am so grateful that what I get to do every day is empower and equip people so they can learn how to protect themselves and live their best life.”

While the book addresses online safety and cybersecurity, its deeper message is about something much more fundamental.

It is about restoring peace of mind.

It is about helping people move from anxiety to calm confidence.

And it is about teaching others that even after profound loss, recovery is possible.

As organizations, families, and communities grapple with the rapidly changing realities of artificial intelligence, King’s story serves as a reminder that technology is ultimately a human issue.

Because behind every cybercrime statistic are people.

Behind every data breach are families and small businesses.

And behind every act of resilience are choices.

A choice to rebuild.

A choice to heal.

A choice to move forward.

For Jocelyn King, that choice has become her life’s work.

About Jocelyn King
Jocelyn King is the founder and CEO of Smarter Online Safety, keynote speaker, podcast host, cybersecurity advocate, and 20-year Silicon Valley executive. She was named a Top 10 Woman in Cybersecurity after surviving identity theft, cyberstalking, financial loss, and years of emotional recovery and dedicating her career to helping others stay safe in an increasingly digital world. Through speaking engagements, media appearances, consulting, and education, King empowers individuals and organizations to protect themselves online while building confidence, resilience, and peace of mind. Her book, Digital Self-Defense in an AI World: How to Protect Yourself Online, offers practical guidance for navigating the opportunities and risks of the AI era.

About Karen Hall
Karen Hall is a media strategist, publicist, bestselling author, and CEO of Momentum Media™, a media, publishing, and publicity company helping leaders, authors, experts, and artists increase their visibility and share their stories with wider audiences. Drawing on her background as a broadcast journalist and TV host, Hall approaches media strategy through a journalist’s lens, identifying the stories, angles, and audiences that can make a message newsworthy and relevant.

Her work includes strategic publicity, press release development and distribution, media positioning, television and digital media opportunities, and visibility campaigns. Hall publishes bestselling books, the Global Women’s Journal and produces broadcasts featuring influential leaders worldwide. She also serves as Editor and Executive Producer for the Los Angeles Tribune and TV host, interviewing notable guests and hosting NTV in London through SKY TV. She also showcases unsung heroes who navigate adversity on her podcast The Hero Within™, ranked among the top 2.5% globally.

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