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Question about cookies and tracking technologies

Joseph Grech 40 Reputation points
2026-03-18T12:13:21.8233333+00:00

Would this be correct to say when using the 'Anonymous response, doesn’t require sign-in' setting: This survey is anonymous.  It does not use cookies or similar tracking technologies to identify respondents.  Responses are recorded anonymously, and no personal identifiers such as names or email addresses are collected.  Each response is assigned a unique identifier to distinguish it from others, but this cannot be used by the researcher (the survey owner) to identify individuals. 

Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft Forms | Other

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  1. Marcin Policht 90,725 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-03-18T13:05:39.5966667+00:00

    It’s close, but a bit stronger than what that setting alone actually guarantees.

    “Anonymous response, doesn’t require sign-in” typically means the platform does not require respondents to authenticate and does not automatically attach account-level identifiers like name or email to responses. However, it does not by itself guarantee that no tracking technologies are used, nor that no identifying information could be captured indirectly (for example via IP addresses, metadata, or questions you include in the survey).

    A more accurate version would be something like:

    This survey does not require respondents to sign in, and responses are not linked to user accounts such as names or email addresses. No direct personal identifiers are collected by default through the survey platform. Each response is stored with a system-generated identifier for data management purposes, which is not accessible as a means of identifying individual respondents. While the survey is designed to be anonymous, respondents should avoid including any personally identifying information in their answers if they wish to remain anonymous.

    If you also know for certain that your specific survey tool does not log IP addresses or use cookies for tracking in this mode, you could add that. but only if you can verify it in the platform’s documentation.

    If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

    hth

    Marcin

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  2. Sumit D - IA 169.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-18T13:03:34.6766667+00:00

    Hi Joeseph,

    Microsoft Forms does use cookies and browser technologies for basic site functionality, even in anonymous mode. Saying it uses no cookies is a bit misleading. To reframe, here is what you can say:

    Microsoft Forms does use cookies and browser technologies for basic site functionality even in anonymous mode. Saying it uses no cookies at all could be factually inaccurate and potentially misleading to respondents.

    With the ‘Anonymous’ setting in Microsoft Forms, respondents are not required to sign in, and their name, email, or identity is not collected or visible to the form owner.

    I hope this information helps. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

    Otherwise, please take a moment to rate the answer. Wishing you good luck!

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