Ask.com caves to Google's privacy pressures

Ever the publicity hound nipping at Google's heels, Ask.com has issued an open letter to the public about adding a privacy policy link to its home page.

The letter highlights the fact that, weeks ago, several privacy groups asked Google to play up the privacy policy on its start page. The search giant didn't immediately add the link.

So Ask, the No. 4 search company, said Wednesday that it will take the step first.

"As of today, Ask.com has added a direct link to our privacy policy via a 'Privacy' link prominently placed right on our homepage...We've also made sure that the 'Privacy' link appears on the landing pages across most of Ask's verticals as well, which cover almost all of Ask's search traffic," according to its letter.

The company put a fine point on the act, too: "We strongly encourage others in the search marketplace and online industry to do the same."

[wango2007]

I don't understands this article. How exactly did Ask.com "cave " to Google's privacy pressures?

Ask.com simply saw the error of their way and corrected it. Google thinks they are gods and not subject to the practices of mortals and refuse to so the right thing and place a privacy link on their home page.

It is Google who needs to cave and do the right thing and heed the advice of privacy groups.

[t8]

The pressure was on Google and ASK responded to their pressure. So the caved into Google's pressure.

[dhavleak]

There was public pressure on Google to add a link to it's privacy policy.

By extension, there was pressure on all search providers -- just that the pressure on Google was most visible.

Ask.com basically 'caved' to the pressure as a publicity stunt, is what the article is claiming.

[BenjaminWright]

If Google can assert its legal terms just by publishing them (on something less than its home page), then users can assert their own terms of privacy protection just by publishing them! What do you think? --Ben http://hack-igations.blogspot.com/2008/05/google-privacy-policy-terms-of-service.html

[JayMonster]

I THINK what they were trying to say is that Ask.com caved in based on the pressure that is being exerted ON Google, not FROM Google.