What is AntiSpamBot? Why am I voiced? What’s going on?

As an anti-spam measure, a channel that you are in has decided to configure itself such that new people are unable to talk. A bot saw your messages, determined it probably isn’t the below-described spam, gave you the ability to speak, and restated your message so the rest of the channel can see it.

Regular users: There is nothing you need to do. You might want to register your nick if you want to stick around on OFTC for a while, but otherwise you’re fine. Ask in #oftc if you need help registering your nick.

Channel operators: If you would like the bot in your channel, or would like it to leave your channel, tell us in #oftc. Read the next couple of sections for more information.

How does the bot work?

The bot ops itself in all its channels. Then it sets the channel modes +M and +z. This means unidentified nicks are muted, but instead of being totally muted, their messages go to ops instead. See https://oftc.net/ChannelModes/ for more information.

Identified nicks are unaffected and can speak freely.

The bot checks the first message that unidentified nicks send. If it looks like spam, it k-lines the nick’s host. The channel (except for its ops) does not see the spam message. If the message does not look like spam, it voices (+v) the nick and restates the message so that everyone in the channel can see it.

Who runs the bot?

Pastly, an OFTC network operator, runs the bot. Other OFTC staff members can also control it. Ask in #oftc if you would like the bot to join (or leave) your channel.

What other solutions exist?

Reference https://oftc.net/ChannelModes/.

+R perfectly stops the spam, as it is. Unidentified nicks also can’t join your channel, however.

+m perfectly works, but it’s up to your ops to voice people so they can talk ;).

+i perfectly works, but you need to keep inviting people, of course.

+Mz works okay, and is what this bot does, as long as your ops voice people as needed.

+s seems to work after a while, as the spambots seem to refresh their list of channels periodically and +s makes the channel hidden.

What does the spam look like? Why is it happening?

Freenode, another IRC network like OFTC, is imploding. For information on that, see:

The original freenode staff have created and moved to libera.chat, and most freenode users have followed.

Someone(s) is capitalizing on this drama to spam as many channels on as many IRC networks as possible. Their motivation is unknown, but it’s probably to make libera staff look bad.

The spam looked like this for a few weeks (multiple lines w/additional text):

THІЅ ⅭHᎪⲚΝΕL ΗᎪS ᎷОVΕD ТO IRⲤ.ⅬⅠΒEᏒA.CHAᎢ #HAΜᏒΑⅮΙⲞ

And we’re starting to see spam like this now too:

YOUR SHIT CHATS MAKE ME SO MAD I PUNCH HOLES IN MY WALL!!! THATS Y I MOVED 2 IRC.LIBERA.CHAT #MIDIPIX (imgur link redacted)

Is the spam still happening?

As of June 21st, 2021, it seems to be done for now. AntiSpamBot is offline until needed again.