A provocative exploration of the way in which reader comment sections - created to foster the free flow of ideas and opinions on the news of the day - have spiraled downward into what many journalists call "cesspools" of racism and bigotry. The book features reader comments amassed over years from various news sites, as well as commentary from and analysis by experts in media, journalism, law, and contemporary culture. The foreword is by Chuck D, the founder of the groundbreaking hip-hop group Public Enemy.