Sanenet - 11:57 am on Sep 20, 2004 (gmt 0)

Relax guys, they're not donating your advertising CLICKS, they're donating their own money on a per search basis.

with a minimum donation of $0.03 per advertisement-generating search

So, nobody actually has to click on an ad to get ask to donate money, they just have to make a search. Nor do Ask "ask" you to click on ads, or even mention ads.

maximum total of $1,000,000 [...]minimum donation [...] of $50,000.

[sp.ask.com...]

Nowhere on that page does it say that you need to click on an ad, it just states that you should use that page to search from. Blank your mind of this conversation and try it, you'll notice that there is NO INCENTIVE to click on an ad.

And I admit, if they were donatining a portion of their ad revenue, encouraging people to click, that would be one of the most unethical acts of the year. However, they're not. (Although they are getting more people to use their SE. However, that's the point of any corporate charity sponsorship, it's free advertising).
Typo edit! :(