+1 for SecretAgent
Channel privacy is presently well regulated through proper use of available CMODEs. UMODE +p does not guarantee privacy with services such as Rizon Stats (which, along with CMODE +s, is at the discretion of channel operators) and other privately regulated services which track and publish public statistics and conversation.
Then again, I'm not really concerned with the outcome; it does not affect me either way. I am for whichever saves bandwidth, CPU cycles, and effort. :>