Not to totally dismiss any concerns, but most IRC servers support TLS. While not end-to-end in the sense that the server can read all of the messages, encryption is available. And in the case of IRC, with the most common use case being channels for particular communities which often need moderation, I don’t think the fact that the server can read the chat is a big issue. I wouldn’t advocate for it as a way to privately and individually communicate with people one-on-one, but I think it’s pretty okay for what it is.
The nice thing with IRC, though, is that by not being one massive centralized entity where all channels in existence reside, you’re not depending on one particular network in the same way you might be dependent on services like Discord. You can run your own server for your own community where you can set your own rules and manage everything the way you want to.
IRCv3 also has SASL [1]. And more rudimentary forms of authentication have been around for ages on most servers.
The nice thing with IRC, though, is that by not being one massive centralized entity where all channels in existence reside, you’re not depending on one particular network in the same way you might be dependent on services like Discord. You can run your own server for your own community where you can set your own rules and manage everything the way you want to.
IRCv3 also has SASL [1]. And more rudimentary forms of authentication have been around for ages on most servers.
[1]: https://ircv3.net/specs/extensions/sasl-3.1