SNIP
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>Hotline, OTOH, assumes full bidirectional synchronous communication - chat window or a phone call - where these details would make the content very different from a thread of messages. The very fact that we're alone while we write a message here makes it different from direct communication, in the presence of the other. One tends to be complete, the other tends to be fast.

I agree. I see some chance for success for this approach because:
1) the person/people are known to be online so wait/queue time should be minimal;
2) there is no need for one to "graduate" to levels of response before a competent person (i.e. not reading from a canned script that assumes everyone's a jerk) gets involved;
3) there's a good chance that the caller/callee "know" each other (in the sense that we all get to know others here) and so there is some mutual understanding/respect to start with.

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>I assume it would be up to the paying user to share or not share the content. Probably the good solution would appear here, only later.

Well I hope so, but agree that it is up to the paying user to do so.

I was confused in that I had seen this (by all outward appearances) as yet another feature of the UT and I wanted to be assured that UT content wouldn't be diminished by this (as our post office drastically lowered regular mail delivery times once they bought Purolator (but I guess they got caught becuase it has now been remedied)).
As a separate entity I can see it as I would a similar service by MS or anyone, and I'm sure that users of those service do post good answers here or elsewhere if they're so inclined.

May the gods of problems smile on you.