User blog comment:Timeoin/I'm back again, everyone/@comment-4074503-20110922121218/@comment-3456086-20110922174826

To the random contributor, you're right. Anyone can join IRC and chat. You do not have to be forced to register an account just to use the chat. i.e. register an account on wikia just to be able to use the wikia chat. IRC you can simply just click connect and join a chat and talk away. No need in registering. The IRC ops won't even bother looking at your IP address unless you're being malicious to the network, or are contacted by proper authorities saying "We detect fraudulent activities coming from this IP address. Do you have a user connected from this IP?" in which case they have to comply and give it out. Now obviously there's checks to make sure they are who they say they are, etc. Although chances of the authorities bothering to connect on IRC and talk to it's operators are slim to none. (Ever watched NUMB3RS, CSI, NCIS?) Authorities don't need to talk to them because chances are they already know who you are in the first place. (Although TV shows depict IRC very, very poorly.)