User Trust & Consent Preferences for Privacy-Preserving Analytics

Welcome! This brief survey explores your understanding of and preferences for privacy-preserving website analytics. It should take approximately 5–7 minutes to complete. Your responses are completely anonymous and will be reported only in aggregate. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested in your honest opinions. Participation is voluntary, and you may stop at any time or skip any question you prefer not to answer. Thank you for your time!

Which of the following best describes aggregated website metrics?

• Combined across many users so individuals cannot be identified
• Includes your exact clicks tied to your identity
• Shares your personal details with partners
• I'm not sure

What does differential privacy aim to do?

• Add statistical noise so trends remain while individuals are protected
• Encrypt data end-to-end so only the company can read it
• Only remove names; everything else stays the same
• I'm not sure

How confident are you that privacy-preserving metrics protect your identity?

Which of the following controls would you want for privacy-preserving analytics on websites? Select all that apply.

• On/off toggle for analytics
• Per-purpose controls (e.g., performance, personalization)
• Per-metric controls (e.g., time on page, clicks)
• Time-limited consent (auto-expires after a set period)
• Session-only consent (resets when I close the browser)
• View or download a record of metrics collected

Please rank the following control designs from most to least preferred.

1. On/off toggle for analytics
2. Per-purpose controls (e.g., performance, personalization)
3. Per-metric controls (e.g., time on page, clicks)
4. Time-limited consent (auto-expires)
5. Session-only consent (resets on browser close)
6. View or download a record of metrics collected

What default setting should websites use for privacy-preserving analytics?

• Off by default (opt-in)
• On by default with clear notice and easy opt-out
• Ask me on first visit, then remember my choice
• No preference

If you opt in to privacy-preserving analytics, how long should your consent last before it expires?

• Single session only
• 30 days
• 90 days
• 1 year
• Until I change it
• I'm not sure

Please read the following scenario carefully before answering the next two questions. Imagine a website collects only aggregated usage metrics using differential privacy to improve page performance. No raw data logs are stored. You can change your analytics choice at any time from a visible Privacy menu.

Based on the scenario described above, how comfortable would you be with this setup?

How likely would you be to opt in to this type of analytics setup?

Thank you for your responses so far. We'd like to explore your privacy preferences in a bit more depth. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of follow-up questions. Please respond in your own words.

Based on your responses throughout this survey, please share any additional thoughts or suggestions about privacy-preserving analytics — including how they are explained, controlled, or implemented.

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?

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

Where do you primarily live?

• North America
• Latin America & Caribbean
• Europe
• Middle East & North Africa
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• East Asia & Pacific
• South Asia
• Central Asia
• Oceania
• Prefer not to say

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• No formal education
• High school or equivalent
• Some college / associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate or professional degree
• Trade / technical / vocational training
• Prefer not to say

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full-time
• Employed part-time
• Self-employed
• Student
• Unemployed
• Retired
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for your time and insights! Your responses have been recorded and will be used to improve privacy-preserving analytics experiences. If you have any questions about this study, please contact the research team.