Cookie Consent Banner UX & Privacy Control Survey

Welcome, and thank you for participating! This survey explores your recent experiences with cookie consent banners and privacy settings on websites. It should take approximately 13 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate — no individual answers will be linked to your identity. There are no right or wrong answers; we are simply interested in your honest opinions and experiences. Please click 'Next' to begin.

Have you browsed websites (on any device) in the last 30 days?

• Yes
• No

In the last 30 days, how often did you encounter cookie or consent banners while browsing websites?

• Never
• On a few visits
• About half of visits
• On most visits
• On nearly every visit

Which of the following devices did you use for web browsing in the last 30 days? Select all that apply.

• Desktop or laptop
• Mobile phone
• Tablet
• Other (please specify)

How comfortable or uncomfortable are you with changing privacy or cookie settings on websites?

In your own words, what do you think a consent banner is primarily for?

Please read the following example consent banner carefully: "We and our partners use cookies for analytics, advertising, and to improve your experience. Choose Accept all, Reject non-essential, or Manage settings." Keep this banner in mind as you answer the next few questions.

Thinking about the banner you just read: I understand what data would be collected if I clicked 'Accept all.'

The Accept and Reject options are presented with equal prominence.

The language used in the banner is easy to understand.

I feel confident I could make an informed choice using this banner.

Which of the following controls have you seen on consent banners in the last 30 days? Select all that apply.

• Accept all
• Reject all
• Reject non-essential
• Manage settings
• Choose by purpose (e.g., analytics, ads)
• Choose by vendor/partner
• Save and exit
• Remind me later
• Other (please specify)

On most sites you visited recently, how easy or difficult was it to find a clear 'Reject' option on the consent banner?

In the last 30 days, did you open a website's privacy preference center or cookie-settings panel?

• Yes, on multiple sites
• Yes, on one site
• Not in the last 30 days
• I'm not sure

When you were in a preference center, what did you try to do? Select all that apply.

• Turn off advertising cookies
• Turn off analytics/measurement cookies
• Set choices by purpose or category
• Set choices by vendor or partner
• Withdraw previously given consent
• Delete or reset my choices
• View the partner/vendor list
• Download or request my data
• Save my choices
• Other (please specify)

Overall, how much control did you feel you had over how your data was collected on the websites you visited recently?

Thinking about consent banners and preference centers you encountered in the last 30 days: I trust that websites actually respect the choices I make on their consent banners.

I felt pressured to click 'Accept all' rather than review my options.

The language used in most consent banners I encountered was easy to understand.

I could easily change or withdraw my consent preferences after my initial choice.

Please rank the following features of a consent interface from most important (top) to least important (bottom).

1. Clear, plain-language wording
2. Equal prominence of Accept and Reject buttons
3. Granular controls (by purpose or vendor)
4. Minimal interruption to browsing
5. Transparency about which partners receive data

Based on your experiences, what single change would most improve consent banners or privacy preference centers for you?

We'd like to learn a bit more about your thoughts on consent banners and privacy settings. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of brief follow-up questions.

What is your age group?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

Which of the following best describes your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary / gender diverse
• Prefer not to say

Where do you currently live?

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Australia
• European Union (EU)
• India
• Other
• Prefer not to say

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school
• High school or equivalent
• Some college, no degree
• Associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate
• Professional degree
• Prefer not to say

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full-time
• Employed part-time
• Self-employed
• Student
• Unemployed and seeking work
• Not seeking work
• Retired
• Homemaker / caregiver
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing this survey! Your feedback will help improve transparency and user control in consent interfaces.