Google News is introducing a new feature: people and firms named in news articles will be able to add their own comments to the articles in question. Besides the obvious – how can you be sure the people claiming to be article subjects actually are the article subjects? – I wonder, what’s in it for us, the readers?

Headline: Cigarette firms “knew about cancer risk”, leaked documents show

Response: No we didn’t! The writer made it all up! Cigs are good for you, and tasty too!

Well, that’s just dandy. I certainly feel better informed now.

Surely unless Google fact-checks the rebuttals, it’s just creating a Spin Palace for, ahem, news management professionals?