Barbara Spooner Managing Director DS-CIC to Drive Safer Online Activities

An inaugural conference aimed at improving the experience of young people on online, social and digital platforms to prevent abuse and bullying, is taking place tomorrow (7 September at Lambton Castle). Spearheaded by a recently created agency – Digital Safety CIC – the conference aims to bring together academics, teachers, education influencers and others who are committed to improving children’s online experience.

The event is followed just days after by the World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) creating a stark backdrop to the dangers that online abuse and bullying can have. The agency tasked with driving this event forward is DS CIC.

Barbara Spooner MBE is leading DS-CIC to drive forward its mission. A career spanning over three decades in specialist operations, technical operations and leading law enforcement commands, nationally and internationally, Barbara has provided significant contributions to leadership in law enforcement and brings a wealth of experience to her new role. 

As head of DS-CIC, Barbara will lead the organisation in its mission to make online activities safer and less harmful to people.

Barbara Spooner’s impressive career has been characterised by her unwavering dedication to the law enforcement profession. Having served  across national and international policing environments, as well as being actively involved as a national executive lead for women in policing, Barbara’s expertise and leadership have been widely recognised. 

In 2014, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her outstanding contributions to leadership for women in law enforcement and services to covert intelligence operations.

With her extensive experience in specialist and technical operations, senior leadership, programme management, and capability building, Barbara is well-equipped to guide DS-CIC in its mission to tackle the challenges posed by online activities. Throughout her career, Barbara has consistently demonstrated a commitment to delivering innovative, economical, and efficient solutions for mission success. 

Her ability to navigate change and set strategic directions has been instrumental to her success. Over two  decades or more she moved up the ranks, this  anticipated the changes in criminality and it was apparent to her that technology, for all its great qualities, would be a significant challenge in future. 

She led a team of 50 professionals responsible for lawfully acquiring communications data  to support investigations into serious and organised crime. Barbara’s leadership also saw her restructuring and growing the unit to ensure adherence to agency policies, regulatory inspections, and audit requirements.

As head of DS-CIC, Barbara will leverage her wealth of experience to spearhead efforts in creating a safer online environment. Drawing on her extensive  relationships with diverse stakeholders both nationally and internationally, she will drive initiatives, tackling digital harms, enhance capability building and prioritise the development and implementation of innovative programmes.

Over her career Barbara was brought into contact with colleagues in the digital  and data world. This enabled her to gain a strategic overview of the ever-evolving opportunities and dangers of the digital landscape including the impact on people and their lives not always for the good.

Early 2019 she retired from policing  and was then invited to work with the home office on a pathfinder project around the use of volunteer cyber specialists into UK policing, which would ultimately manifest as DS CIC.

Barbara has been responsible for helping create DS CIC. DC CIC is committed to developing digital safeguarding practices and skills helping people, organisations and communities stay safe and raise awareness of digital harms. Its ambition is to act as a learning partner by building a network of networks to innovate, train and reimagine how digital safety can work for everyone.

Barbara Spooner said: “I am honoured to  be the founder of DS-CIC and lead the charge in creating safer online activities for individuals across the globe. 

“I am deeply committed to leveraging my experience and expertise to combat harm in the digital realm. Together with the talented team at DS-CIC, I am confident that we will make significant strides in making the internet a safer space for everyone.”

Digital Safety Community Interest Company (Digital Safety CIC), is proud to announce the launch of an informative, new conference focused on addressing the crucial issues of digital wellbeing for young people.  
The Castle Conference, taking place on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at Lambton Castle, will be the first of its kind in the region and aims to bring together professionals and experts to promote the safety and wellbeing of young individuals in today’s digital world.