Achat log is an archive of transcripts fromonline chat andinstant messaging conversations. Many chat or IM applications allow for the client-side archiving of online chat conversations, while a subset of chat or IM clients (i.e.,Google Talk andYahoo! Messenger 11 Beta) allow for the saving of chat archives on a server for future retrieval. MostIRC clients and manyIRC bots include chat logging to a local file as a standard feature.
Websites exist that publish chat logs, usually dedicated to a single channel and including asearch engine. This can conflict with users' expectations of privacy. SomeIRC networks have published guidelines on making chat logs public.[1] Due to their real time nature, chat logs may be used to identify anonymous users by correlating information posted on different mediums.[2]