Search engine Ask.com and Symantec announced a multi-year, strategic partnership to deliver the best answers and safer search results on the Web.

Together, Ask.com and Symantec developed Safe Search, a new offering that makes searching the Web safer by providing users with ratings before they visit a site that could damage or infect their PC. Safe Search delivers site ratings embedded directly into the search experience, so that users can conduct searches directly from their Norton toolbar and see site ratings presented on a customized search results page. Safe Search, with search powered by Ask.com, is available with Norton Safe Web as part of the Norton 360 version 3.0 public beta. Norton Safe Web is a Web site rating service introduced in beta by Symantec in August 2008.

On the customized search results page, each of the Ask-generated search results will be safety-rated by Symantec using a color-coded icon to help the consumer decide whether to visit or avoid sites or sections of sites that may be potentially malicious or harmful. Searchers will also be able to ‘mouse’ over the rating icon to receive more detail about the Safe Search rating.

Symantec and Ask.com are committed to working on features and functionality that further extend protection for search, which underlies most online activities. In addition to the integration of Safe Search into the Norton toolbar, Ask.com plans to continue to work with Symantec to create offerings that improve search safety.

For security innovator Symantec, this partnership will provide Norton users with additional protection while searching the Web and an enhanced online experience, matched with a leading search innovator in Ask.com.

For search pioneer Ask.com, this partnership will introduce customers of the industry’s leading security products to the Ask brand and Ask’s differentiated search experience, provide Safe Search protection to a broad audience of active users, and expand the reach of the Ask Partner Network.

The growing, global Ask Partner Network has an audience reach – across Ask.com and partner sites – of 118 million domestic consumers (62% of all U.S. Internet users) and 312 million worldwide consumers (31% of all global internet users). The APN network of worldwide partners includes best-in-class marketplace leaders across a diverse and growing spectrum of industries, including consumer software, online and social media, OEMs and ISPs and mobile companies.

“This move is part of Ask.com’s ongoing focus on families to provide them with safe search features and the best content anywhere on the Web. Our customers will continue to see Ask.com innovate with technology that serves consumers with a series of compelling verticals across major search categories in 2009, and beyond,” said Ask.com Chief Executive Officer Jim Safka.

Safe Search is currently available in English only, and is included with Norton Safe Web as part of the Norton 360 version 3.0 public beta. Additional details regarding the availability of Safe Search with other Norton offerings will be announced at a later date.