Ask provides search privacy with ‘AskEraser’

Search engine, Ask, has launched an ‘AskEraser’ tool to enhance online privacy.

AskEraser allows users to immediately delete search queries stored on Ask’s servers. Other search engines, such as Google, store data for 18 months.

With concern growing over the use of personal data for advertising and marketing purposes, the new tool is likely to be a popular feature.

American consumer groups are currently campaigning against a planned merger between Google and ad-serving company DoubleClick. The merger is under review by regulators in the US.

AskEraser, which will be accessible from the Ask.com homepage, will give users control of their search history.

When enabled, the tool will delete all future search queries and associated cookie information from its servers, including the users IP address, user ID and session ID. The text of a query will also be deleted.

However search queries relating to advertisements supplied by Google will continue to be passed to the rival search engine.