Voice Assistant Wake Word Trust & Privacy Study

Welcome to this research study on voice assistants and wake words. This survey explores your experiences, trust, and comfort with voice assistant devices. It should take approximately 12 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested in your honest opinions. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate. By continuing, you agree to participate in this research.

Which of the following voice-enabled devices do you personally use at least once a month? Please select all that apply.

• Smart speaker (e.g., Echo, Nest Audio)
• Smart display (e.g., Echo Show, Nest Hub)
• Smartphone assistant (Siri, Google Assistant)
• Smart TV or streaming device (voice remote)
• Headphones or earbuds with voice assistant
• In-car voice assistant
• None of the above

Which wake word do you use most often to activate your voice assistant?

• Alexa
• Hey Google / OK Google
• Siri
• Bixby
• Cortana
• I use a button or tap instead of a wake word
• Other

How much do you trust your primary voice assistant to only start listening after you say the wake word?

How comfortable are you with a voice assistant listening for a wake word when you are at home alone?

Overall, how useful is your voice assistant in your daily life?

What one change would most increase your trust or comfort with voice assistants?

What is your age?

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

Thank you for completing this survey. Your responses have been recorded and will be used in aggregate to improve voice assistant experiences. Your individual answers will remain confidential.

Which device do you use most often for voice assistant interactions?

• Smart speaker
• Smart display
• Smartphone
• Smart TV or streaming device
• Headphones or earbuds
• In-car system
• Other device

In the last 3 months, how often did your voice assistant activate by mistake — without you saying the wake word?

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Rarely
• Never
• Not sure

How confident are you that your voice data is stored securely by your voice assistant provider?

How comfortable are you with a voice assistant listening for a wake word when you have guests at home?

Please rank the following issues from biggest to smallest problem in your experience with voice assistants.

1. False activations
2. Misheard commands
3. Slow responses
4. Privacy or data use concerns
5. Limited features or skills
6. Poor integrations with other products

Based on your earlier responses, we'd like to explore your thoughts a bit further. Please share more about your experiences with wake words, trust, and privacy when using voice assistants.

How do you describe your gender?

• Man
• Woman
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say

In the past 30 days, how often did you use a voice assistant?

• Daily
• Several times a week
• About once a week
• A few times this month
• Once this month
• Not in the last 30 days

How much control do you feel you have over what your voice assistant records and stores?

How comfortable are you with a voice assistant listening for a wake word at your workplace?

How likely are you to purchase a new voice-enabled device in the next 12 months?

Which region do you currently live in?

• North America
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Africa
• Asia
• Oceania

How transparent do you feel your voice assistant provider is about how your voice data is used?

How comfortable are you with a voice assistant listening for a wake word in a public place (e.g., café, store)?

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school
• High school or equivalent
• Some college or associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Postgraduate or professional degree
• Prefer not to say

In the last 3 months, how concerned have you been that your voice assistant may have recorded you without your knowledge?

Which privacy controls have you used in the last 3 months? Select all that apply.

• Muted the microphone button
• Turned off listening in the app
• Unplugged or powered off the device
• Reviewed voice history
• Deleted voice history
• Made no changes
• Not sure