Is a channeler asking a question on someone’s behalf, strictly a conduit having no influence on the words and answers that come forth, or a potential source of error?

The latter is certainly the case. Not that this is a major hazard in most circumstances, but can be a source of disappointment or confusion, or failure to achieve the objective, depending on what happens in particular. The channeler is open to the divine realm with his or her intention driving the session forward. How they view the question will determine to a significant degree the nature of the response and to what degree and level of detail the feelings, and understanding, and awareness of the overall meaning contained by the question will shape the answer. This is inevitable because the channeler is the requester of record with respect to the session. It is no different than the channeler seeing a question from history asked in the abstract by an unknown author perhaps, and then reasking the question directly of the divine realm in a private channeling session done for the channeler’s own benefit to satisfy the curiosity. The answer sought will be a function of that curiosity and answered in the context of the channeler’s readiness to grasp the meaning of the information, and to what extent they are prepared to hear something new and be able to adjust to the significance to them with regard to their world view, their personal feelings, and stability, and readiness to hear something that might be disturbing for some people, as well as to what extent the information might change the channeler’s life. All of that set of variables in the mix pertain to the channeler, and not to whoever in the distant past may have wondered about the issue and put it down in writing. So when someone prepares and submits a question to a channeler, either directly in the moment or by email, it is the act of transmission by the channeler, in their thoughts and awareness, that will govern what response comes forward. This you know from personal experience can leave some head-scratching when the answer to the question is quite different than expected and even may not be answering the correct version or interpretation whatsoever. So these are important factors to keep in mind—who is doing what to whom, and the level of involvement and responsibility as a source of potential alteration, or even distortion, of the intention underway. That will play out heavily in determining what information comes forth—it will always follow the intention of the channeler asking the question, first and foremost.