As someone who has most of her socialization on IRC now… Eww, mIRC is proprietary and for Windows. Maybe it’s just me having learned about IRC only a couple years ago and thus not having a sentimental attachment, but why use it if you have open-source ones like Hexchat, Irssi or Weechat?
Still, a decentralized protocol, not a platform, would have a much easier time circumventing stupid laws like this, as well as censorship.