Network Charter
Updated: 06/10/2023
As with any system involving both freedom and power, abuse is an issue on any IRC network. UnifiedChat Network is no exception, but we try our hardest to screen and train our IRCops, and to ensure a system for reporting and handling abuse is in place.
In order to promote a safe and abuse-free environment, users and operators alike are bound by the UnifiedChat network rules, as shown below.
Any user, operator, or autonomous agent connected to the UnifiedChat network agrees:
1. not to threaten or carry out threats against any other user on the network.
2. not to flood, attempt to take over, or otherwise interfere with the operation of a channel or the network in a malicious way.
3. not to spam or display unsolicited advertisements.
4. not to use open proxies when connecting.
5. not to place Trojan clients (Sub7 bots, etc.) or other hostile bots on our network.
6. not to allow bots under your control to break any of these rules.
7. not to ask to become an IRC Operator.
We do not automatically monitor the content of conversation or file transfer in order to enforce these policies, however if we become aware of breaches of our policy then we will take action.
Network staff may disconnect any user in violation of the above rules, without warning. If you feel you have been wrongfully disconnected, please contact the abuse team, either via email or #Help. Any issues with the abuse team should be reported directly to a Senior Staff, who will deal with the matter.
Abuse Team Charter
UnifiedChat Network recognizes the potential for abuse in any situation involving power over other users. It is the duty of the UnifiedChat Abuse Team to oversee the activities of all IRC operators and server administrators, and to take corrective action when necessary. The Abuse Team reports directly to the network administrators.
The Abuse Team maintains the following list of IRC operator rules:
1. IRCops will not harass or abuse other users.
2. IRCops will not interfere with channel operation (see below).
3. IRCops will NEVER give out IP addresses or DNS names of users.
4. IRCops will never kill a user to “show off”.
1. You must always respond to requests for help while oper’d while active online
2. If you are too busy, direct them to #Help.
3. Make sure you are not invisible (umode +i) whilst opered.
4. You do not have to take abuse from users, but by the same token you may not at any point use your o-line or increased services access to exact revenge.
5. As a global IRC Operator you should familiarize yourself with the proper routing of servers, in order to help the network recover from splits.
6. In network-owned channels you will not abuse users in any way. Abusive users will be banned and you will be expected to /ignore them.
The last rule is of particular importance. Remember, “IRCop” means “IRC operator”, not “IRC cop”. Dealing with channel issues is not an IRCop’s job. When a user begins evading channel bans, it becomes a network issue. Remember, use channel powers for channel problems.
The procedure for handling abuse is as follows:
1. On the first offense, the IRCop is given a warning by the Abuse Team.
2. A second offense against a different user results in another warning. If against the same user, there is no second warning.
3. On a second offense against the same user or a third total offense, the IRCop temporarily loses the privilege of /oper for a period of 3 days.
4. After the 3 day period, the IRCop is on 1 week probation. If a violation occurs during the probation period, then that operator’s O: line is removed.
Some notes about the abuse policy:
1. Server Admins/Owners are not exempt. The server owner will be asked to replace an admin who fails to comply with the IRCOp code of conduct. If the server owner is the one in violation, the server will be delinked.
2. All claims against an IRC operator must be substantiated with logs and perhaps eyewitnesses. IRCops are strongly encouraged to log all interactions, especially while oper’d.
3. Members of the Abuse Team are not exempt from either the rules or the above process.
Routing Team Charter
The UnifiedChat Network routing team is a group dedicated to ensuring the continual flow of messages through the UnifiedChat network. In a sense, we are the network repairmen, fixing links when they break.
Routing team members receive higher privileges than most UnifiedChat operators (necessary for jumping around servers while monitoring and repairing the network). As such, they have a greater responsibility to the network and its users.
All routing decisions are made in private by all members of the Routing team. If an urgent decision is required, only the current members of the routing team need to vote.
A member of UnifiedChat Network routing (or any other operator for that matter) must never create a netsplit for personal reasons (i.e. showing off).
Services Team Charter
IRC services vary widely across the different IRC networks. UnifiedChat Network employs the common Anope services, which include NickServ, ChanServ, HostServ, MemoServ, BotServ, and the less-widely-known OperServ. The goal of the services team is to ensure the continual uptime of UnifiedChat’s Services, and to prevent/deal with services abuse.
As with routing, services team members have increased power over IRC activities and hence have a greater responsibility to UnifiedChat Network. The following actions are UNACCEPTABLE from Services Team Members:
1. Modifying the access list of a channel without a valid reason.
2. Dropping another user’s nickname or channel still currently in use.
3. Changing the registration information of any user.
4. Any of the above will result in an Abuse Team investigation.
5. The use of CHANKILL or SADMIN without a VERY GOOD reason will result in immediate loss of O: line.