Yea but I believe backlink spamming is more gameable, and more people are already set up (programs and methods) to do this. If you ask me it ought to be constantly rolling around and a mix of things.
Manipulation for personal gain through various means including automation and low wage outsourcing. You'll see these methods being sold for digg, netscape, social bookmarking, etc.
No one will waste time gaming Ask.com. This is a sign of desperation. Their traffic figures are so low, they're trying to go Web 2.0 with a SE. This is just a gimmick to get users to visit their obsolete site. And if any webmasters do get into gaming the site, they'll be happy for the page views. I smell a fire sale in 6-12 months...
They are starting to advertise on UK television. I think they are desperately trying to get more visitors.