Cookies

I stopped using Ask years ago when I realised how many cookies the damn thing tried to install on my PC. MUCH more than from Google, from what I remember.

I don't allow any cookies from Google anyway, so if they do collect any stats from me, it is only for single, unconnected, searches which I'm not concerned about.

I think it's changed now, but all the links Ask showed used to be redirected from their servers, rather than being direct, so they could track which of the results you actually followed-up. As far as I know, Google have never done this (except for the adword links, but that's to be expected)

I'm not saying Google are the nice fluffy consumer-friendly bunch they would like us all to believe, but pot, meet kettle.