The Pat Kenny Show What can we do to protect our children from bullying?
Nov 11, 2025
Rena Maycock, Founder and CEO of Chirp, dives deep into the alarming rise of cyberbullying and its profound impacts on children today. She reveals the darker side of online interactions, including the rise of deepfakes and harmful behaviors that parents should watch for. Rena introduces Chirp, an innovative software designed to detect and block cyberbullying, grooming, and self-harm content. With its focus on child safety without compromising privacy, Chirp aims to intervene early to protect vulnerable youth from the risks associated with the digital world.
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Online Abuse Replaces Schoolyard Bullying
- Cyberbullying has largely replaced in-person bullying and offers no respite for children outside school hours.
- Rena Maycock explains that online abuse follows children home, making it more catastrophic than traditional bullying.
Cyberbullying Includes Nonverbal Harms
- Cyberbullying is deliberate, repeated, often public and includes harassment, fake accounts, rumours and exclusion.
- Chirp also flags non-verbal cues like ghosting and removal from group chats as forms of harm.
Watch For Behavioural Warning Signs
- Watch for withdrawal, loss of interest in school, reduced online use, and changes in eating or sleeping as signs of cyberbullying.
- Take any mention of self-harm seriously and intervene promptly, says Rena Maycock.