We began logging IRC-ICQ last summer when a lot of reports of kids interacting with adults surfaced. The server is plagued with poor channel operator numbers, training, and awareness. It is predator-friendly, saturated with spoofers, and most likely heavily hit by kids who either know better or have become players. However you feel about the annoyance of chatting on a poorly run server, PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN OR TEENS ANYWHERE NEAR HERE.

The three Sceptics' Tank members who have logged there gave conflicting and often personally shaded reports. Rather than make up your mind for you, we are posting all three reports. These have been edited and condensed.

NOTE: as you most likely know, we PAY our loggers. They do not accept ops on any server they are logging and reviewing. Original logs are submitted in a zip file with the review.

Anguisette's Review   |   DamonSadi's Review   |   N3kr0mNcr's Review

Tank members may request copies of logs. Look for the evaluaters in channel and ask for a DCC or contact one of the Twelve to request a zip. If you are a tank member and have been approved for payment we may add loggers to cover more channels in a possible joint project with ChatSafe.

Anguisette

   The problem, as I see it, is a tragic shortage of well trained and informed channel operators. Most of my time was spent in #women, a channel that is SUPPOSED to be for women and in support of women. Men are allowed, and it is not regulated by age. Sexual content and PM requests are supposed to be violations.

   Unfortunately, if rules exist on this server none of the channels bother to post them. They are generally policed by bots, which only screen for language and repeating.

   On DamonSadi's advice I did visit #lifestyles and one or two other channels. These seemed, on the nights I was there, less plagued by bad op representation. Having ops in channel didn't seem to necessarily help. The server DOES have an #ophelp channel, but low numbers often prevent quick intervention and seem to have nerves worn fairly thin. Many of the channel ops are very clearly jaded, poorly chosen, or just poorly trained.

   On a more serious note, teens, preteens, and those parading as both absolutely SATURATE this server and ops don't seem terribly concerned with regulating the issue.

   Independent channels seem to have greater op presence but to be worse. #witches is a racist, bigoted, ignorant den of abusive chatters. Sadly ironic.

   I will continue to chat in #women, since I have met a few friends and it seems a good spot to log. How long remains to be seen. Very recently I have been bothered by disregard for safety and decorum.

DamonSadi

   Irc-Icq should probably go the way of Dalnet. Ops are clueless, disinterested, or hostile. This may be the result of overwork, but it isn't excusable.

   There is a prevalence (disturbingly high) of young people looking for sex, old people pretending to be young people looking for sex, and fetishism. The server is not supposed to promote these behaviors, but does. Security is useless.

   I rarely participated in actual channel activity in recent months/weeks, since it was painful to do so. While I logged #women and #lifestyles, as well as a few other channels, the former became so riddled with filth it was not worth watching and the latter seemed clannish. Of the two channels #lifestyles seemed safer, though with a channel title like #lifestyles a clear and prominant posting of rules would seem wise.

   Lack of clarity is the biggest problem outside the dismal op performance and activity. Rules only become apparent if there is a live and engaged channel rep present, which is unheard-of.

   Web presence might help, but why bother? This is an absolute garbage dump. Not worth saving, it will very soon start having attack problems due to its own poor management. Darwinian IRC karma!

N3kr0mNcr

   After Anguisette and DamonSadi gave differing reviews and reports from IRC-ICQ loggings, I spent three days going over logs, dropping in on the server, and making an independent evaluation at the request of Marc Springwell and Chrissy Olinger.

   The age insensitivity is a SERIOUS concern. I think the ops may be well intentioned but not policed or managed well, since what I saw in channel seemed to hint at job burnout or bad training. One op was called into a channel for help but spent his time there flirting with his girlfriend and supporting the mean spirited comments of "regulars." That smacks of either a maturity issue or really bad training. Ops often seemed to "side" with regulars and did not seem to have a solid grasp of what a channel op is supposed to do.

   Much more of a concern is the sexual ludeness that is ignored while underage chatters swim in and out of busy spots. The atmosphere is very "My Space" in tone and clue-level. It just isn't safe. I referred at least a dozen kids (verified by phone, with a brief chat to mom/dad/sibling) to safer areas.

   I disagree with Anguisette's more tepid assessment and tend to agree with DamonSadi that the problem with solve itself when the bad management leaves IRC-ICQ vulnerable to inevitable attacks or legal intervention. I was surprised she seemed to be willing to continue chatting there considering.