Search engine Ask has launched a feature that it hopes will prove a selling point for consumers concerned about their online privacy.
AskEraser allows users to immediately delete search queries stored on Ask"s servers, in contrast to rivals such as Google which stores data for 18 months.
How personal data is used is becoming more of an issue as people live more of their lives via search engines.
Some are concerned about possible deals between search engines and ad firms.
In America consumer advocacy groups have expressed doubts about a proposed merger between Google and ad-serving company DoubleClick, which is currently being reviewed by US regulators.