>>106297578

This is a list of the top IRC networks. It might not look like there are a lot of users, but these are some of the highest quality user groups you can find online.

https://netsplit.de/networks/top100.php

Libera.chat is the easiest network to get started on and they have a lot of guides. Once you get a client and used to the format, its easy to join other networks. Most anons will probably be interested in rizon but there are others.

https://libera.chat/guides/clients

>>106295430
> XMPP?
Once feature of XMPP/Jabber that was always interesting back in the day was its ability to link into other chat networks and systems. Might be work spinning up to take a look at.