I agree, you could probably attach some kind of social proof key-ring to news articles. That said, I feel like this would devolve into a "social currency for real currency" under-the-table paid sponsorship kind of deal rather quickly. We seem to have plenty of stealth ads nowadays, and it's especially disconcerting because iirc only 1 in 10 could discern them. I guess it could still be worth giving a shot in the hands of the right tinkerer.