Reno - 6:20 pm on Aug 9, 2007 (gmt 0)

As has been pointed out, dozens of news sites already allow people to comment on their stories, and have been doing so for years. I see those comments as simply close-to-real-time "Letters to the Editor".

The key for Google I think is to simply summarize the original source material, and provide very prominent links to the various news outlets so people can study the info in more depth if they are interested.

Thus, Google continues to drive traffic to the external news media AND simultaneously gives people the opportunity to voice their opinions, which is not the worst thing in the world. In fact, it may allow readers to consider points of view that they otherwise might not have heard before. Given how much of the worldwide media is falling into fewer corporate hands, having diverse input has the potential to help offset that dangerous trend, at least a little bit.

I recall an old black and white movie...

That was actually a classic Twilight Zone episode, which Rod Serling wrote based on a short story by science fiction writer Damon Knight.

ps. Oh man, wouldn't the great Rod Serling have a grand ol' time with the internet. What a genius...

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