fix(irc): stop recommending Libera.Chat — public networks ban agents

hermes_cli/config.py

@@ -4475,7 +4475,7 @@ def _ensure_hermes_home_managed(home: Path):
         "category": "messaging",
     },
     "IRC_SERVER": {
-        "description": "IRC server hostname (e.g. irc.libera.chat)",
+        "description": "IRC server hostname (your own ircd, e.g. irc.example.invalid)",
         "prompt": "IRC server",
         "url": None,
         "password": False,

plugins/platforms/irc/adapter.py

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
         irc:
           enabled: true
           extra:
-            server: irc.libera.chat
+            server: irc.example.invalid   # use your own ircd — see docs
             port: 6697
             nickname: hermes-bot
             channel: "#hermes"
@@ -560,10 +560,19 @@ def interactive_setup() -> None:
             return
 
     print_info("Connect Hermes to an IRC network. Uses Python stdlib — no extra packages needed.")
-    print_info("   Works with Libera.Chat, OFTC, your own ZNC/InspIRCd, etc.")
+    print_info("   Works with your own ircd (Ergo, InspIRCd, ZNC, etc.) or any network whose")
+    print_info("   policy explicitly allows LLM-driven agents.")
+    print_warning(
+        "Public IRC networks such as Libera.Chat ban LLM-driven agents under their "
+        "bot policy (https://libera.chat/news/bot-policy-update). Point Hermes at "
+        "an ircd you control — see https://ergo.chat/ or self-host an ircd via Docker."
+    )
     print()
 
-    server = prompt("IRC server hostname (e.g. irc.libera.chat)", default=existing_server or "")
+    server = prompt(
+        "IRC server hostname (your own ircd, e.g. irc.example.invalid)",
+        default=existing_server or "",
+    )
     if not server:
         print_warning("Server is required — skipping IRC setup")
         return

plugins/platforms/irc/plugin.yaml

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ author: Nous Research
 # platform-plugin env var injector in ``hermes_cli/config.py``.
 requires_env:
   - name: IRC_SERVER
-    description: "IRC server hostname (e.g. irc.libera.chat)"
+    description: "IRC server hostname (your own ircd, e.g. irc.example.invalid)"
     prompt: "IRC server"
     password: false
   - name: IRC_CHANNEL

tests/gateway/test_irc_adapter.py

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def test_init_from_config_extra(self, monkeypatch):
         cfg = PlatformConfig(
             enabled=True,
             extra={
-                "server": "irc.libera.chat",
+                "server": "irc.example.invalid",
                 "port": 6697,
                 "nickname": "hermes",
                 "channel": "#hermes-dev",
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def test_init_from_config_extra(self, monkeypatch):
         )
         adapter = IRCAdapter(cfg)
 
-        assert adapter.server == "irc.libera.chat"
+        assert adapter.server == "irc.example.invalid"
         assert adapter.port == 6697
         assert adapter.nickname == "hermes"
         assert adapter.channel == "#hermes-dev"

tests/gateway/test_platform_registry.py

@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def test_from_dict_accepts_plugin_platform(self):
         data = {
             "platforms": {
                 "telegram": {"enabled": True, "token": "test-token"},
-                "irc": {"enabled": True, "extra": {"server": "irc.libera.chat"}},
+                "irc": {"enabled": True, "extra": {"server": "irc.example.invalid"}},
             }
         }
         cfg = GatewayConfig.from_dict(data)

tests/hermes_cli/test_setup_irc.py

@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def test_irc_status_configured_when_env_set(self, monkeypatch):
 
         plat = _register_irc_platform()
         try:
-            monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_SERVER", "irc.libera.chat")
+            monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_SERVER", "irc.example.invalid")
             monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_CHANNEL", "#hermes")
             monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_NICKNAME", "hermes-bot")
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def test_irc_status_partial_when_only_server_set(self, monkeypatch):
         try:
             monkeypatch.delenv("IRC_CHANNEL", raising=False)
             monkeypatch.delenv("IRC_NICKNAME", raising=False)
-            monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_SERVER", "irc.libera.chat")
+            monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_SERVER", "irc.example.invalid")
 
             status = gateway_mod._platform_status(plat)
             assert status == "not configured"
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def test_setup_gateway_irc_counts_as_messaging_platform(self, monkeypatch, capsy
         monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
         _register_irc_platform()
         try:
-            monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_SERVER", "irc.libera.chat")
+            monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_SERVER", "irc.example.invalid")
             monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_CHANNEL", "#hermes")
             monkeypatch.setenv("IRC_NICKNAME", "hermes-bot")
 
@@ -254,3 +254,81 @@ def test_setup_gateway_irc_counts_as_messaging_platform(self, monkeypatch, capsy
             assert "Messaging platforms configured!" in out
         finally:
             _unregister_irc_platform()
+
+
+# ── IRC policy regression: do not recommend public IRC networks (#61181) ────
+
+
+class TestIRCPolicyWarningInSetup:
+    """The interactive setup must warn that public IRC networks ban agents.
+
+    Libera.Chat's bot policy explicitly forbids LLM-driven / autonomous
+    agents (https://libera.chat/news/bot-policy-update). Hermes' setup
+    wizard must surface that warning and recommend a self-hosted ircd
+    instead of defaulting to ``irc.libera.chat``.  Regression for #61181.
+    """
+
+    def test_interactive_setup_warns_about_public_network_policy(self, monkeypatch, capsys, tmp_path):
+        """interactive_setup() prints a policy warning that mentions Libera.Chat."""
+        # Ensure the wizard doesn't bail on the configured-server early-exit path.
+        monkeypatch.delenv("IRC_SERVER", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
+
+        # interactive_setup() lazy-imports helpers from ``hermes_cli.setup``;
+        # patch them there so the wizard runs to completion without stdin.
+        import hermes_cli.setup as cli_setup
+        from plugins.platforms.irc import adapter as irc_adapter
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "prompt", lambda *args, **kwargs: kwargs.get("default") or "")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "prompt_yes_no", lambda *args, **kwargs: kwargs.get("default", True))
+        # ``save_env_value`` writes to HERMES_HOME; stub to a no-op to keep
+        # the test hermetic.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "save_env_value", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "get_env_value", lambda *args, **kwargs: "")
+
+        irc_adapter.interactive_setup()
+
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+
+        # The setup wizard must surface a ban/policy warning…
+        assert "Libera.Chat" in out, f"policy warning missing in setup output: {out!r}"
+        assert "ban" in out.lower() or "forbid" in out.lower() or "policy" in out.lower(), (
+            f"expected a ban/policy warning, got: {out!r}"
+        )
+        # …and recommend a self-hosted ircd.
+        assert "ircd" in out.lower() or "self-host" in out.lower() or "ergo" in out.lower(), (
+            f"setup should recommend a self-hosted ircd, got: {out!r}"
+        )
+
+    def test_interactive_setup_default_prompt_does_not_recommend_libera(self, monkeypatch, capsys, tmp_path):
+        """The default server prompt does NOT suggest irc.libera.chat any more."""
+        monkeypatch.delenv("IRC_SERVER", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
+
+        import hermes_cli.setup as cli_setup
+        from plugins.platforms.irc import adapter as irc_adapter
+
+        captured = {}
+
+        def fake_prompt(question, default="", **_kw):
+            captured.setdefault("questions", []).append(question)
+            return default or ""
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "prompt", fake_prompt)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "prompt_yes_no", lambda *args, **kwargs: kwargs.get("default", True))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "save_env_value", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_setup, "get_env_value", lambda *args, **kwargs: "")
+
+        irc_adapter.interactive_setup()
+
+        server_prompts = [q for q in captured["questions"] if "IRC server hostname" in q]
+        assert server_prompts, f"expected an IRC server prompt, got: {captured['questions']!r}"
+        # None of the server prompts should hard-default to Libera.Chat.
+        for q in server_prompts:
+            assert "irc.libera.chat" not in q, (
+                f"maintainer must not re-introduce Libera.Chat as the default: {q!r}"
+            )
+        # At least one prompt should signal a self-hosted ircd.
+        assert any("irc.example.invalid" in q for q in server_prompts), (
+            f"server prompt should recommend a private ircd, got: {server_prompts!r}"
+        )

website/docs/reference/environment-variables.md

@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ Connect Hermes to an IRC server. No external dependencies. See [the IRC messagin
 
 | Variable | Description |
 |----------|-------------|
-| `IRC_SERVER` | IRC server hostname (e.g. `irc.libera.chat`). Required. |
+| `IRC_SERVER` | IRC server hostname (your own ircd, e.g. `irc.example.invalid`). Required. |
 | `IRC_CHANNEL` | Channel(s) to join (e.g. `#hermes`); comma-separate for multiple. Required. |
 | `IRC_NICKNAME` | Bot nickname (default: `hermes-bot`). Required. |
 | `IRC_PORT` | Server port (default: `6697` with TLS, `6667` without). |

website/docs/user-guide/messaging/irc.md

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 # IRC
 
-The IRC adapter connects Hermes to any IRC server and relays messages between an IRC channel (or direct messages) and the agent. It speaks the IRC protocol over Python's stdlib `asyncio` — **no external dependencies, no SDK, no daemon**. It works with public networks like [Libera.Chat](https://libera.chat/) and any self-hosted ircd.
+The IRC adapter connects Hermes to any IRC server and relays messages between an IRC channel (or direct messages) and the agent. It speaks the IRC protocol over Python's stdlib `asyncio` — **no external dependencies, no SDK, no daemon**. It works with any self-hosted ircd (Ergo, InspIRCd, ZNC, etc.).
+
+> ⚠️ **Do not point Hermes at public IRC networks.** Most public networks — including [Libera.Chat](https://libera.chat/news/bot-policy-update) — explicitly ban LLM-driven / autonomous agents, and Hermes connecting to them can get both the bot and the operator klined. Run a self-hosted ircd instead (e.g. [Ergo](https://ergo.chat/) in a Docker container).
 
 IRC is plain text: there is no voice, image, file, thread, reaction, typing, or streaming support — replies are sent as `PRIVMSG` lines, with long messages split to fit the IRC line limit.
 
 > Run `hermes gateway setup` and pick **IRC** for a guided walk-through.
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- An IRC server to connect to (e.g. `irc.libera.chat`)
+- An IRC server to connect to — preferably one you operate (e.g. a local [Ergo](https://ergo.chat/) instance at `irc.example.invalid`)
 - A channel to join (e.g. `#hermes`) — comma-separate to join several
 - A nickname for the bot (default: `hermes-bot`)
 - Optional: a registered nick + NickServ password if your network requires identification
@@ -25,7 +27,7 @@ gateway:
     irc:
       enabled: true
       extra:
-        server: irc.libera.chat
+        server: irc.example.invalid   # your own ircd
         port: 6697
         nickname: hermes-bot
         channel: "#hermes"
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ gateway:
 
 | Variable | Required | Description |
 |----------|:--------:|-------------|
-| `IRC_SERVER` | ✅ | IRC server hostname (e.g. `irc.libera.chat`) |
+| `IRC_SERVER` | ✅ | IRC server hostname (your own ircd, e.g. `irc.example.invalid`) |
 | `IRC_CHANNEL` | ✅ | Channel(s) to join — comma-separate for multiple |
 | `IRC_NICKNAME` | ✅ | Bot nickname (default: `hermes-bot`) |
 | `IRC_PORT` | — | Server port (default: `6697` with TLS, `6667` without) |