Shockwave Game Bar

Shockwave Game Bar, developed by ASK, is a web-browser add-on that can be added as an extra bar to the browser's window and/or menu. It is frequently included during the installation of other software, sometimes without prior notification. The Ask Toolbar and other applications are increasingly being bundled with programs, particularly freeware. It is typically installed as part of a software installation process, and the option to deselect the Ask Toolbar is easily overlooked. Ask.com has established partnerships with certain software security vendors, who are compensated for distributing the toolbar alongside their software. When using the Toolbar to submit a search query, the Toolbar transmits the query information to Ask servers. Ask.com utilizes this information to process web search requests and generate search results pages for users. During installation, the user may have the option to modify home and search pages, however this is often pre-checked by default and goes unnoticed.