Evaluating Web-Based Privacy Controls: A User Study on Expectations and Preferences

In response to growing privacy concerns, many websites have implemented privacy controls that aim to enhance user autonomy and compliance with data protection regulations. While existing literature has evaluated individual privacy controls such as cookie consent interfaces, less attention has been given to how combining multiple privacy controls in realistic online environments affects the overall user experience. We conducted an online user study with 75 participants to explore the usability of privacy controls offered by websites across four widely used categories. Participants were asked to interact with website prototypes that differed in terms of where and how the privacy control variants were presented, then answer a survey about their experience. Our findings revealed the usability impact of design parameters on privacy controls and highlighted how user expectations vary across different demographics and website categories. We provide design recommendations that combine informative elements (privacy notices and policies) with actionable elements (privacy nudges and settings) to enhance the usability of website privacy controls for users.