[shostack]

What I've wondered is how much non-verbal context will be lost through such an interface. Today, when I'm trying to verify the authenticity or quality of something, it is a game that goes something like this:

1. Google it and click least spammy looking link (gauged by the URL, although that's no guarantee). I also see what sort of JS they try to load, if it is absolutely bloated with ad tags, etc.

2. Try to gauge from the design and other content of the site how genuine the answer might be. Are there affiliate links for anything they recommend peppered throughout? That's a signal it might not be unbiased info. Unfortunately, this is where judging a book by its cover comes into play as well. Some poorly designed sites buck the trend, but they are also prominent with spammy sites.

3. Find other sources to see if there is any consistent logic with said answer/product review/etc.

4. Make a decision hopefully.

So many of those pieces of the puzzle just aren't available when you limit your input/output to a system like this. There are obvious tradeoffs here--I just hope we don't lose the ability to make more informed decisions. Already I hate things like Apple obfuscating the full URL in the URL bar.