Tracker Toolbar

The Tracker Toolbar, powered by ASK, is a web-browser add-on that can be installed as an additional bar and/or menu item within the user's browser. It is frequently included as part of the installation process for other software, and may be installed without explicit notification. The distribution of the Ask Toolbar and similar applications has increased, particularly in conjunction with freeware programs. It is common for users to overlook the opportunity to opt out of installing the Ask Toolbar during the installation of a program. Ask.com has established partnerships with certain software security vendors to distribute the toolbar alongside their software, with the vendors receiving compensation for this distribution. When using the Toolbar to conduct a search, the query information is transmitted to Ask servers, which are then used to process web search requests and generate search results for the user. During installation, the user may be presented with the option to modify their home and search pages, however this option is often pre-selected and overlooked by the user. If the software is removed from the user's computer, the settings will need to be manually reverted back to their original state.