The digital world is both a playground and a minefield. For kids and teens, diving into social media, apps, and online communities can feel exhilarating – but it also comes with real risks and challenges. Few people understand this balance better than Barry Lee Cummings. From launching a thriving digital marketing agency to becoming a leading advocate for cyber safety, digital wellbeing, and anti-cyberbullying initiatives, Barry has made it his mission to help families and communities not just survive online – but truly thrive.
In this exclusive Manning Global interview, Barry pulls back the curtain on his work, sharing powerful stories that have stayed with him, eye-opening lessons from students and parents, and practical strategies for creating healthier digital habits. He also reflects on his personal journey, what it takes to be genuinely present in an always-on world, and why equipping young people with knowledge is the key to unlocking a safer, more empowering online future!
You’re actively raising awareness around cyberbullying and digital wellbeing – what drives your mission today, and why is this work more relevant than ever?
I built and ran a digital marketing agency for 10 years. I spent all day, every day, helping businesses leverage platforms and applications. I spent a lot of time in the environments that children and young people wanted to be in, and I saw how things were designed to hold our attention and how, when leveraged for commercial gain, this affected the brain.
Then my business partner in the UK, who also ran a digital marketing agency, transitioned completely to raising awareness and educating people about the digital space after researching horrific cyberbullying scenarios, some of which ended in ultimate tragedy. He asked me if there was a similar problem in the Middle East, and research showed that there definitely was. Wherever there is access to the digital space, there is an issue with cyberbullying and online misuse.
Now, with my own children, the thought of a young person going through something horrific online and not knowing what to do or who to talk to is just unacceptable to me.
As the digital environment becomes an even more integral part of our world, the need for children, young people, and parents to understand what is actually happening, the real pitfalls, and how to avoid or deal with them is even more pressing. I still believe that a close family unit with open communication channels is the best filter out there.
Beat the Cyberbully continues to make a real difference, what have been some of the most powerful moments or feedback you’ve received recently from students or parents?
The most powerful moments are when children and young people approach me after a session and tell me that I’ve changed their thinking and that, because of that, they’re going to take action to protect themselves. It’s always incredibly moving, and it’s also wonderful to receive feedback from parents who, after the session, want to know more and invite me to speak with their children too. This way, the message can be reinforced throughout the family, the school, the community, and, wherever possible, wider society.
One particular scenario stands out: a 16-year-old girl approached me after a session and asked what she should do, as she had found herself in a situation she didn’t know how to resolve. She had been agonising over whether to tell anyone for three months! It was heartbreaking to hear that she had been suffering in silence for so long, but I was so glad that my session had given her the courage to ask for help and begin the process of resolving the issue.
In your sessions, what are some of the most surprising things you’ve noticed about how young people are navigating the digital world today?
The most surprising thing is how they choose to use some of the tools available to them. It’s sometimes so far removed from the original purpose of the tool, but their digital-native mindset allows them to look at things completely differently. For example, using Google Sheets and Docs as a messaging tool when all other options have been removed by parents. Or when a 12-year-old told me how he was tracking a cyberbully on behalf of his friend, using the dark web! He was following the bully’s movements, uncovering his tracks, but eventually lost him in Switzerland!
When you first launched your consultancy, what were the biggest challenges businesses faced in embracing digital tools like SEO, PPC, and social media?
When I launched my digital agency back in 2010, the biggest challenges that businesses faced were actually understanding what digital marketing was. Even just the definitions and jargon used were the biggest hurdles. Businesses were not familiar with SEO, PPC, SEM overall no one was talking about CTRs, CPA, CPC, long-tail keywords, or optimised social posting schedules. It was “new,” and I spent a lot of the early days helping companies decipher the proposals that had been sitting on their desks, so they could understand whether the deliverables and associated costs were actually reasonable.
In your work with parents, teachers, and students, what are some of the most common misconceptions you’ve encountered about online safety?
The biggest misconception among parents is that they can’t do anything about it. They see the technology, feel “forced” to provide their children with devices for school, and believe that schools should be doing more to keep their children safe online.
The most common misconception among young people is that the horror stories and negative experiences they hear about don’t happen to them, because they are in the UAE, and the UAE is safe.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to parents who feel overwhelmed by the changing digital landscape?
It’s hard and it’s a lot of work, but our children’s safety as well as building their self-esteem and resilience should be at the top of our priority list. In the fast-changing digital environment, it’s important to start and continue your learning. Read extensively about the digital landscape, use tools like Common Sense Media to support your education, and take advantage of our Parents App, which keeps you up to date with changes as they happen.
Powered by CoBabble, our Parents App is updated weekly with the latest developments in the digital space, whether it’s new apps and what they mean, or changes to existing platforms and apps, along with guidance on how to set things up to protect your children.
What do you see as the biggest online risks facing kids today, and how can awareness shift behavior and create safer digital habits?
The largest risk to children today is their digital tattoo, which could impact their chances of getting into university or securing employment in the future. Many are unaware that every single thing they do online is logged, creating a permanent picture of who they are. This tattoo will follow them wherever they go. It’s not fair, but it’s reality, they will be judged by what can be found about them online. That judgment will be swift, and they won’t get a chance to defend or explain themselves.
The good news is that awareness puts them in control. That digital picture can look exactly how they want it’s just a matter of deciding and taking accountability for their actions.
As someone deeply involved in cyber safety, how do you personally define “digital wellbeing” in today’s always-online world?
Digital well-being is the ability to manage your relationship with technology and screens in balance with activities that don’t involve screens at least for the time being. Not all screen time is equal, and the conversation needs to focus on how screens are used rather than simply the amount of time spent on them.
That said, managing access to the digital space is the first step in creating a healthy relationship with technology. It helps children (and adults) understand how to leverage its benefits while also being able to put it down and walk away when needed.
You wear many hats – CDO, CMO, CTO, speaker, mentor – how do you balance the strategic and hands-on aspects of your work?
It’s very hard, but when you’re part of building a company, you have to wear many hats. It’s a constant struggle to balance working on the business with working in the business. More often than not, you find yourself in it rather than on it, and being able to consciously recognise this and redress the balance is key.
This is done through careful scheduling and planning your day. I run my day according to my diary, if it’s not in there, it’s not happening. Sometimes, it also comes down to knowing when to say no. With the right team in place, you don’t need to be involved at the coalface all the time. The team can handle what needs doing, and technology can be leveraged to ensure I have the pertinent data and information to accomplish whichever role I’m undertaking at the time.
What advice would you give to young professionals or entrepreneurs who want to make a real impact in the digital or cyber safety space?
My advice would be to pick an area under the broad umbrella of digital safety. It’s a huge field with many nuanced specialisms. Find one and become the absolute expert in it.
I’m more of a generalist and, honestly, I suffer because of that. I know enough about it, but if you dig in and specialize, you can have a massive impact with whatever business or services you aim to provide.
I also think there’s a lot of opportunity for entrepreneurs in this space. The big players aren’t building their platforms with safety or well-being in mind and that’s where the opportunity lies.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Beat The Cyberbully and CoBabble?
For Beat the Cyberbully, we want to create an ambassador program that trains young people to deliver the sessions and messaging to their peers. It will be far more powerful when a 12-year-old is presenting to 8-year-olds, or a 16-year-old is speaking to 12-year-olds. It’s more relevant, there’s more in common, and the younger ones aspire to be like their older counterparts, so they pay closer attention.
If the captain of the football, netball, or swimming team is standing in assembly speaking about the virtues of positive digital use, the message has far more impact.
For CoBabble, we want as many schools as possible to adopt it for their parent cohort. That way, we can help parents in the UAE stay up to date with the latest developments in the digital space ensuring they have the knowledge they need to keep their children safe and informed.
Besides your work, what are some hobbies or interests that you’re truly passionate about?
I’m truly passionate about my two sons and giving them as many experiences as possible to help form the foundation of grounded, well-rounded humans. As such, we love to travel, I truly believe it’s the best kind of education you can receive.
Aside from that, I enjoy hiking, camping, off-road driving, going to the gym, and being in the water. I spend a lot of time with my sons in the water, whether it’s the sea or the pool. Once they’re a bit older, I’ll be introducing them to scuba diving, which I used to do a lot before they were born. I’m really looking forward to showing them the underwater world, where you are fully immersed. They already love snorkeling, so I’m sure they’re going to love scuba diving!
What’s one travel destination on your bucket list that’s not typically found in travel guides, and what intrigues you about it?
I don’t think there’s anywhere left that isn’t typically found in travel guides these days. One destination that was perhaps less common is Bhutan, but I’ve been there and it was a fantastic trip.
I also want to visit Japan and the Pacific Islands – Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. Japan has always been on my list; there’s something about the history, the respect, and the sense of honour in their culture that fascinates me. As for the Pacific Islands, there’s an energy in the people from this part of the world that I want to experience firsthand. I’m often mistaken for being from this region, which has perhaps made me even more curious to explore it.
Do you have any hidden talents or artistic pursuits that you enjoy?
I really don’t, though I wish I did. I’ve always had aspirations to learn the drums. I started many years ago but didn’t continue, which is something I want to pick up again in the near future. My wife, on the other hand, is extremely creative and artistic.
What’s a surprising or unusual fact about you that people might not expect, something that doesn’t typically come up in your professional bio or interviews?
That my dad is English, my mum is from Hong Kong, I was born in Germany, I’m married to a Canadian, my sons were born in Dubai, my sister was born in England, she’s married to a South African, they live in Australia, and my niece is Australian!
What was the best piece of advice you were ever given?
To be present. I was given this advice a long time ago, but it feels even more important today. Being truly present with my sons is vital. I’ve caught myself physically there but mentally absent, either doing something else or thinking about something else instead of fully engaging in whatever we’re doing.
It’s amazing how impactful just 10 minutes of completely dedicated time with a child can be. I also see it with social media and people chasing external approval, they’re so focused on getting the perfect picture or video of themselves in a particular country or at an event that they miss the experience itself.
By all means, take the video or the picture, but then put it away and just be present. Enjoy the moment, the experience, and whatever it is you’re seeing and doing!
We often hear about your professional achievements, but can you share a personal achievement or moment in your life that you’re particularly proud of?
Getting married. I’m even more proud of my wife. Not just for our wedding, but for everything she has done and continues to do. It’s really only through her ongoing support and trust in me that I’m able to achieve anything, professionally or otherwise.
Outside of your professional roles, what’s something you’ve always wanted to learn or try but haven’t had the opportunity to explore yet?
Motor Racing, more specifically the Baja 1000 or rally cross. I love cars and trucks and pushing them and myself to the limit is something I would like to try one day.
What’s a memorable visual from your childhood that continues to hold significance in your life?
The visual is a picture of my dad in his army fatigues, in a tent during the first Gulf War. I was 12 or 13 at the time, and he was commanding a unit. He was doing his job, but that job is something not everyone can, or is willing to, do. And that stuck with me.
So many people on this planet don’t understand that other people have to go and do things that we don’t want to acknowledge and could never understand, let alone do ourselves, in order to enjoy the luxury of the life we get to experience. The ability to do hard things is what this showed me, as well as service to others.
Finally, if you had to sum up your life philosophy in just one sentence, what would it be?
Be true to your word, show up and be present.
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