RC moderator guidelines

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diff --git a/staff/index.md b/staff/index.md
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@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ The intended audience for this part of the wiki is SourceHut staff.
 
 - [Culture introduction and onboarding](/staff/culture.md)
 - [Support procedures](/staff/support.md)
+- [Guidelines for volunteer IRC moderators](/staff/irc-moderators.md)
diff --git a/staff/irc-moderators.md b/staff/irc-moderators.md
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+---
+title: Guidelines for volunteer IRC moderators
+---
+
+Generally speaking:
+
+- Users are expected to speak to each other with respect
+- The scope of each channel's on-topic subjects is to be adhered to
+
+## \#sr.ht
+
+The channel is on-topic with respect to SourceHut and SourceHut-adjacent topics.
+
+Examples of on-topic discussion include:
+
+- Questions about SourceHut features, development, installation, etc
+- Questions about things closely related to SourceHut (e.g. "The upcoming Debian
+  release changes xyz, will that affect my builds?")
+
+If someone is engaging in an off-topic discussion, you may ask them to move to
+#sr.ht.watercooler.
+
+## \#sr.ht.watercooler
+
+This is an off-topic channel, but it is not the wild west. Its scope is limited
+to the kind of discussions one might have in the break room at work. Such
+discussions should generally have a link to free software or sourcehut
+somewhere, though it may be more tenuous than required for topics in #sr.ht.
+
+The watercooler is not a social channel.
+
+Examples of on-topic discussion include:
+
+- Software, technical standards, etc
+- Free software news
+
+Off-topic:
+
+- What you had for breakfast
+- The latest bullshit from Elon Musk
+- World politics
+
+If someone is engaging in an off-topic discussion, you may ask them to move to
+##sr.ht.pub (an unofficial, community-run channel).
+
+## Executing interventions
+
+A simple intervention might simply be a warning, in public or in private, at
+your discretion. You can also make direct interventions, such as:
+
+* Kicking a user -- `/kick username <reason>`
+* Banning a user -- `/mode +b username!*@*` 
+* Muting a user -- `mode +q username!*@*`
+
+A more sophisticated approach might be required for mutes and bans in some
+cases, if you grok IRC reasonably well feel free to use whatever tools are at
+your disposal.
+
+In the event that there is an overwhelming degree of spam or other issues which
+you are unable to manage effectively, you may place the channel into a muted
+mode with `/mode +m`. You should message a staff member in this case.
+
+In order to perform any of these commands, you must be an operator. You can
+become an operator like so:
+
+```
+/msg ChanServ op #sr.ht
+
+or
+
+/msg ChanServ op #sr.ht.watercooler
+```
+
+To remove your operator status once you are done using it, use `/mode -o
+username`.
+
+SourceHut staff maintain the final word on disputes, if you're unsure then act
+according to your best guess and message a staff memeber to address the problem
+once they're back online.