Spurred by the engaging PBS documentary series, ''An American Love Story,'' these intimate strangers have volunteered to participate in an ongoing dialogue about race, relationships, prejudice, and other provocative topics. The on-line forum is proving to be just as irresistible. The forum is not a typical chat room or bulletin board, where the discussion often degrades to inanity or profanity. Participants fill out an application form, and then Web Lab staffers create small groups of people who agree to join for at least three weeks. The idea is to provide a combination of anonymity along with accountability.
Participants submit a bio, in which they reveal as much as they choose.
They are also bound by the group ethos to remain civil, despite any disagreements. So far, the ''Love Story'' discussions have politely tiptoed around controversy. That is precisely what Anthony Fontana hopes will happen. Right now, the groups are lingering in the comfort zone, with most of the postings expressing a kind of ''We are the world'' mentality. But both Weiss and Fontana note that the discussions will generate an edge as time goes by.