Search activity eraser

1. A method of data processing comprising:

receiving a user preference at a server computer system from a client computer over a network for enabling or disabling an erasure feature;

storing an eraser identification cookie on the client computer system that represents the user preference for an erasure feature, wherein the eraser feature indicates whether a search query record is to be deleted from the server computer system, wherein the eraser identification cookie is user modifiable to allow or prevent the deletion of the search query record from the server computer system;

storing an unfiltered results cookie, wherein the unfiltered results cookie identifies whether the user is capable of viewing unfiltered search results;

receiving a search query from the client computer at the server computer system over the network;

recording the search query at the server computer system to create a search query record;

extracting search results from a data store based on the query;

transmitting the search results from the server computer system to the client computer system, the search results depending on the unfiltered results cookie;

determining at the server computer system whether the erasure feature is enabled or disabled; and

automatically either deleting the search query record from the server computer system if the erasure feature is enabled, or not deleting the search query record on the server computer system if the search erasure feature is disabled.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search query record forms part of at least one search activity record that has at least one of an IP address, a user ID, a session ID cookie, and user pick data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search query record is deleted from the server computer system before the search query record can be used to derive additional information.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the additional information is information that is related to a user pick pattern or user search pattern.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein user provided personal information remains on the server computer system after the search query record is deleted from the server computer system.

6. A machine-readable storage medium that provides executable instructions which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:

receiving a user preference at a server computer system from a client computer over a network for enabling or disabling an erasure feature;

storing an eraser identification cookie on the client computer system that represents the user preference for an erasure feature, wherein the eraser feature indicates whether a search query record is to be deleted from the server computer system, wherein the eraser identification cookie is user modifiable to allow or prevent the deletion of the search query record from the server computer system;

storing an unfiltered results cookie, wherein the unfiltered results cookie identifies whether the user is capable of viewing unfiltered search results;

receiving a search query from the client computer at the server computer system over the network;

recording the search query at the server computer system to create a search query record;

extracting search results from a data store based on the query;

transmitting the search results from the server computer system to the client computer system, the search results depending on the unfiltered results cookie;

determining at the server computer system whether the erasure feature is enabled or disabled; and

automatically either deleting the search query record from the server computer system if the erasure feature is enabled, or not deleting the search query record on the server computer system if the search erasure feature is disabled.

7. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the search query record forms part of at least one search activity record that has at least one of an IP address, a user ID, a session ID cookie, and user pick data.

8. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the search query record is deleted from the server computer system before the query record can be used to derive additional information.

9. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the additional information is information that is related to a user pick pattern or user search pattern.

10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein user provided personal information remains on the server computer system after the search query record is deleted from the server computer system.

11. A server computer system comprising:

a processor;

a data store connected to the processor;

a computer-readable medium connected to the processor;

a set of instructions on the computer-readable medium, the instructions being executable by the processor to execute the following steps:

receiving a user preference at a server computer system from a client computer over a network for enabling or disabling an erasure feature;

storing an eraser identification cookie on the client computer system that represents the user preference for an erasure feature, wherein the eraser feature indicates whether a search query record is to be deleted from the server computer system, wherein the eraser identification cookie is user modifiable to allow or prevent the deletion of the search query record from the server computer system;

storing an unfiltered results cookie, wherein the unfiltered results cookie identifies whether the user is capable of viewing unfiltered search results;

receiving a search query from the client computer at the server computer system over the network;

recording the search query at the server computer system to create a search query record;

extracting search results from a data store based on the query;

transmitting the search results from the server computer system to the client computer system, the search results depending on the unfiltered results cookie;

determining at the server computer system whether the erasure feature is enabled or disabled; and

automatically either deleting the search query record from the server computer system if the erasure feature is enabled, or not deleting the search query record on the server computer system if the search erasure feature is disabled.