Ask.com just launched a privacy tool in order to ensure that no IP addresses or queries with users search patterns will be stored by Ask’s servers. Seems like this new marketing effort is trying to rebrand Ask.com as Internet’s least intrusive search engine.

Ask Eraser, which launches in the US and UK today, aims to provide web users with a guarantee that their privacy is being upheld.

After a users enabled Ask Eraser by checking a button in the top right of the Ask.com website, a cookie will be stored on the computer, telling Ask not to retain any future information from that user.

An Ask.com spokesman said: “It’s a simple product to use, but a significant release for us. It’s the first time that any major search engine has started to put control of user information under the users’ control, effectively; they are in charge of the extent to which we store and use their personal information.”

Ask’s move comes at the end of a year where privacy has become one the major issues in digital marketing. But who are the main target group?

Guaranteed privacy, who will be attracted?
So all the world perverts will use it? And all kind of criminals?

But what if the FBI, CIA request a given user’s browsing history?
Those are all questions arisen from Webmasterworld.com

What do other search engines do?
Earlier in the year Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! updated their privacy plans, with the former two holding information for 18 months with Yahoo! holding it for 13 months.

Still, I guess the biggest challenge for Ask is to develop a reasonably good search engine. When it comes to eliminating spam and showing relevant pages, they still seems to be far behind..