IRC was invented in 1988 by Jarkko Oikarinen, who aimed to give users outside the network a chance to participate in the conversation without creating a profile. So, it allows users to provide as much or little info about themselves as they are comfortable with, starting from zero.
Nowadays, it sounds almost radical, considering you have to accept GPS tracking to use some services or enter your birthday to check the news. As a matter of fact, it was not. IRC was born in the early days of the Internet, when the respect for users' privacy was yet to replaces by user's data monetary value.
So, Internet Relay Chat is a system (although it is decentralized nature may be described as an absence of it) of networks, channels, and chat rooms. Initially text-based, the same technology now supports different mediums including video, although its traditionally minimalistic interfaces are still more text-friendly.
*For business* it is an easy and stable tool that can be added directly to the website and ensure that customers can reach you directly in one click even if they are off social media or Instagram/Facebook/Google services are down.
*note: in principle, yes, but most certainly you will use one of the existing networks. While transitioning between them is fairly simple, I want to point out that the security and privacy of IRC's networks are mostly based on transparency and its community (same as with many Open Source initiatives). Hence, I want to encourage you to stay attentive and avoid focusing on the same service or platform. IRC gives you freedom, so use it wisely.
Last thought: while exploring IRC, I have realized that numerous easy messengers I know are inspired by these "old school" channels. So, apart from all the technical bonuses and safety, it is also extremely intuitive and requires zero to little adaptation.
