Report abuse

Lurker carries its users onto independent, third-party IRC networks. If a Lurker user is abusing your network, your channel, or you, here is how to handle it.

1.0You can act yourself first

For a one-off, the fastest fix is a ban. Lurker users carry a verified, per-account ident of the form lu<id> (see For Network Operators), so you can ban a single account cleanly and durably:

*!lu1234@*.lurker.chat

This holds across nick changes and cell moves and affects no one else. Network and channel services handle nick or channel squatting; a client-side /ignore handles noise you'd simply rather not see. You don't need us for those.

2.0When to report to us

Email abuse@lurker.chat when a Lurker user is evading bans across your network, engaging in sustained harassment or threats, distributing illegal content, spamming, or attacking infrastructure. These violate our Acceptable Use Policy, and we will act against the account itself — not just the connection.

3.0How to report

Include as much of the following as you can — precision speeds everything up:

• the user's verified ident (the lu<id>), plus the nick(s) and host(s) used;
• the network and channel where it happened;
• the date and time — include your timezone;
• logs or other supporting evidence.

4.0What we'll do

We investigate against the Acceptable Use Policy and warn, suspend, or terminate the account as warranted. For severe cases — illegal content, credible threats, or active attacks — we act immediately and preserve relevant records. To protect our users' privacy, we will not disclose the reported user's email address, IP address, or other personal information.

5.0Illegal content and emergencies

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM), credible threats of violence, and similar emergencies are handled with zero tolerance and escalated to the appropriate authorities. Report them to abuse@lurker.chat; if there is an immediate danger to life, contact your local emergency services first.