Smarter Child, an automated chat-bot program running on AOL’s Instant Messenger, is about as non-partisan as your average thesaurus. When a 13-year-old girl named Erin started a political “conversation” with Smarter Child, she noticed a definite political slant. Among the choice quotes:

• “George W. Bush is way uncool.”
• “I’m a Kerry supporter myself.”
• “John Kerry rocks.”
• “I really, really don’t like George W. Bush.”

AOL says it was unaware that Smarter Child was programmed to plug John Kerry, adding that the news was “concerning.”

I wonder if Smarter Child’s “opinions” should count as an in-kind advertising contribution to the Kerry campaign.