Forum Policy for Researchers Conducting Surveys:
Hello everyone,
From time to time researchers, students, journalists, and independent analysts visit our community hoping to learn from the experiences and perspectives shared here. Thoughtful research can be valuable when it is conducted respectfully and with the privacy of our members in mind.
For that reason, our forum does not allow survey platforms that are widely considered hostile to privacy, particularly those operated by large data-harvesting ecosystems such as Google or Microsoft.
This means platforms such as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, and similar services are not permitted for surveys posted on this forum.
Our members value their privacy, and many prefer tools that allow them to participate without creating accounts, revealing personal information, or being tracked by large corporate platforms.
Fortunately, there are several excellent alternatives that respect anonymity while still being easy for researchers to deploy.
Below are platforms that are welcome here.
⸻
Recommended Privacy-Respecting Survey Platforms
CryptPad – Forms
CryptPad is one of the strongest privacy-focused tools currently available. Its forms feature uses end-to-end encryption, meaning even the service provider cannot read submitted responses.
Benefits:
• No account required for respondents
• Simple shareable survey link
• End-to-end encryption
• Compatible with VPN and Tor users
• Very easy for participants to access
For communities that value anonymity, CryptPad is often the best option.
⸻
Framaforms
Framaforms is operated by the nonprofit Framasoft, an organization dedicated to ethical and open-source internet services.
Benefits:
• No login required for participants
• Public survey links
• Privacy-respecting hosting
• VPN and Tor friendly
• Straightforward setup for researchers
It is a solid, trustworthy alternative to corporate survey tools.
⸻
LimeSurvey (Anonymous Mode)
LimeSurvey is widely used in academic research environments and offers powerful customization.
When used here it must be configured in anonymous mode.
Requirements:
• IP logging disabled
• tracking cookies disabled
• public survey link
Configured properly, it provides a professional research platform while still protecting participant anonymity.
⸻
SurveyJS
SurveyJS is a flexible open-source survey system used by many independent researchers and developers.
Benefits:
• Fully customizable surveys
• can be hosted independently for maximum privacy
• no mandatory account creation for participants
• compatible with anonymous access when configured appropriately
Researchers comfortable with self-hosting often prefer it for full control over their data.
⸻
OhMyForm
OhMyForm is another open-source alternative designed to provide a privacy-respecting replacement for corporate form builders.
Benefits:
• open-source software
• can be hosted independently
• no forced account creation for participants
• simple and lightweight interface
For researchers who want transparency and control over their tools, it is a good option.
⸻
Survey Link Requirements
To keep participation simple for our members, surveys posted here should:
• be accessible through a single direct link
• not require account login or email registration
• be accessible through VPN or Tor connections
Reducing friction increases participation and helps ensure that the responses you receive reflect a broader range of experiences.
⸻
A Small Tip for Better Participation
Although it is not required, researchers often find that offering a small participation reward can dramatically improve response rates.
Examples include:
• a $20 entity[“company”,“Amazon”,“e-commerce company”] gift card
• a $20 Valve Corporation Steam gift certificate
• similar small incentives
Even modest rewards tend to increase engagement and completion rates.
⸻
Optional Follow-Up Interviews
If your research involves deeper qualitative interviews, our community also has members willing to participate in more detailed discussions.
For example, my best good online friend @Todd Thundercock is happy to participate in extended conversations or interviews. For a $50 honorarium he is willing to engage in voice or video discussions and answer questions candidly about his experiences.
Researchers interested in this option can reach out directly for coordination.
⸻
We appreciate researchers who take the time to respect the privacy and comfort of our members. When surveys are conducted ethically and thoughtfully, the insights gathered can be valuable for everyone involved.
Thank you for helping keep this community a respectful and privacy-conscious place to participate.
Hello everyone,
From time to time researchers, students, journalists, and independent analysts visit our community hoping to learn from the experiences and perspectives shared here. Thoughtful research can be valuable when it is conducted respectfully and with the privacy of our members in mind.
For that reason, our forum does not allow survey platforms that are widely considered hostile to privacy, particularly those operated by large data-harvesting ecosystems such as Google or Microsoft.
This means platforms such as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, and similar services are not permitted for surveys posted on this forum.
Our members value their privacy, and many prefer tools that allow them to participate without creating accounts, revealing personal information, or being tracked by large corporate platforms.
Fortunately, there are several excellent alternatives that respect anonymity while still being easy for researchers to deploy.
Below are platforms that are welcome here.
⸻
Recommended Privacy-Respecting Survey Platforms
CryptPad – Forms
CryptPad is one of the strongest privacy-focused tools currently available. Its forms feature uses end-to-end encryption, meaning even the service provider cannot read submitted responses.
Benefits:
• No account required for respondents
• Simple shareable survey link
• End-to-end encryption
• Compatible with VPN and Tor users
• Very easy for participants to access
For communities that value anonymity, CryptPad is often the best option.
⸻
Framaforms
Framaforms is operated by the nonprofit Framasoft, an organization dedicated to ethical and open-source internet services.
Benefits:
• No login required for participants
• Public survey links
• Privacy-respecting hosting
• VPN and Tor friendly
• Straightforward setup for researchers
It is a solid, trustworthy alternative to corporate survey tools.
⸻
LimeSurvey (Anonymous Mode)
LimeSurvey is widely used in academic research environments and offers powerful customization.
When used here it must be configured in anonymous mode.
Requirements:
• IP logging disabled
• tracking cookies disabled
• public survey link
Configured properly, it provides a professional research platform while still protecting participant anonymity.
⸻
SurveyJS
SurveyJS is a flexible open-source survey system used by many independent researchers and developers.
Benefits:
• Fully customizable surveys
• can be hosted independently for maximum privacy
• no mandatory account creation for participants
• compatible with anonymous access when configured appropriately
Researchers comfortable with self-hosting often prefer it for full control over their data.
⸻
OhMyForm
OhMyForm is another open-source alternative designed to provide a privacy-respecting replacement for corporate form builders.
Benefits:
• open-source software
• can be hosted independently
• no forced account creation for participants
• simple and lightweight interface
For researchers who want transparency and control over their tools, it is a good option.
⸻
Survey Link Requirements
To keep participation simple for our members, surveys posted here should:
• be accessible through a single direct link
• not require account login or email registration
• be accessible through VPN or Tor connections
Reducing friction increases participation and helps ensure that the responses you receive reflect a broader range of experiences.
⸻
A Small Tip for Better Participation
Although it is not required, researchers often find that offering a small participation reward can dramatically improve response rates.
Examples include:
• a $20 entity[“company”,“Amazon”,“e-commerce company”] gift card
• a $20 Valve Corporation Steam gift certificate
• similar small incentives
Even modest rewards tend to increase engagement and completion rates.
⸻
Optional Follow-Up Interviews
If your research involves deeper qualitative interviews, our community also has members willing to participate in more detailed discussions.
For example, my best good online friend @Todd Thundercock is happy to participate in extended conversations or interviews. For a $50 honorarium he is willing to engage in voice or video discussions and answer questions candidly about his experiences.
Researchers interested in this option can reach out directly for coordination.
⸻
We appreciate researchers who take the time to respect the privacy and comfort of our members. When surveys are conducted ethically and thoughtfully, the insights gathered can be valuable for everyone involved.
Thank you for helping keep this community a respectful and privacy-conscious place to participate.
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