IRC has several tools available to keep annoying users at bay. Channels can be made private or secret (channel modes 'p' and 's'), and can be made invite-only (mode 'i' - read the online help for /MODE for more information). Private channels do not have their name displayed on the channel /LIST, so users need to know the channel name to join. Secret channels aren't displayed to others in any way - if you're on a secret channel, the fact of your existence isn't even known outside the channel. Invite-only channels can only be joined by people who have been asked to join with the /INVITE command (which is only available to channel operators on invite-only channels - again, read the help on /MODE for more help with this). /MODE * +pi ...would make the current channel private and invite-only, and /MODE * -p ...would change the current channel from private back to public (visible), leaving it invite-only. A channel operator may invoke a "ban" on a user with mode 'b' - this prevents only that user from joining the channel. On NCF IRC, you can use the /BAN and /UNBAN aliases: /BAN aa382 ...to ban userid aa382 from the current channel, and /UNBAN aa382 ...to remove the ban. Note that bans (as well as /IGNOREs) are placed by userid, not nickname, since an offending user could otherwise simply change nickname. Use /WHO or /WHOIS to find the userid corresponding to a particular nick. If a user persists in sending unwanted private messages, the /IGNORE command can prevent you from receiving their comments. The best way to use this command is again by userid - so, if user aa382 refused to stop sending unwanted messages, you could squelch her or him with the provided /SQUELCH alias: /SQUELCH aa382 ...to completely ignore any sort of message from aa382. You can lift this restriction with /UNSQUELCH. For finer control of this feature, read /HELP IGNORE within ircII. If you are having a consistent severe problem with a particular user, please report that user to a Freenet Board member (the list of Board members is available via a menu entry in the "About the Freenet" menu. You can use the "/WHO", "/WHOIS" or "/WHOWAS" commands to find the userid and real name associated with a nickname.