Skip to main content

How Feedback Anonymity Works at SignalStep

At SignalStep, we believe honest feedback thrives in a confidential environment.

Sebastien Barrau avatar
Written by Sebastien Barrau
Updated over a week ago

Our platform is built from the ground up to ensure complete anonymity for feedback providers while delivering valuable insights to requesters.

Our Anonymity Promise

Feedback providers remain 100% anonymous. As a requester, you will never see:

  • Individual responses

  • Who said what

  • Response timestamps that could identify someone

  • Any identifying information about respondents

How We Protect Anonymity

1. No Account Required for Respondents

  • Feedback providers access a secure form via unique link

  • No login, registration, or personal information required

  • Each link is one-time use only

2. Aggregation-First Approach

We use a minimum threshold system:

  • Minimum 3 responses required before any summary is generated

  • This prevents identifying individuals through process of elimination

  • Larger response pools provide better anonymity

3. AI-Powered Summarization

Instead of showing raw feedback:

  • Our AI analyzes all responses for themes and patterns

  • Creates a comprehensive summary without direct quotes

  • Filters out any potentially identifying information

  • Removes inappropriate or unconstructive comments

4. Secure Data Handling

  • Responses are encrypted in transit and at rest

  • Email addresses are stored separately from response content

  • We never share respondent information with requesters

  • All data is handled according to strict privacy standards

What You See vs. What We Store

What We Store (Securely)

  • Email addresses of invited respondents (for invitation purposes only)

  • Anonymous response content

  • Timestamp data for system functionality

What You See

  • Number of responses received

  • AI-generated summary of themes

  • Constructive insights and patterns

  • Overall sentiment analysis

The Anonymity Process Step-by-Step

  1. You create a feedback request and select respondents

  2. We send secure, unique links to each person

  3. Respondents submit feedback without creating accounts

  4. System collects responses anonymously

  5. After 3+ responses, AI generates your summary

  6. You receive insights, not individual feedback

Special Considerations

Shared Links

  • When using shared links, even less information is collected

  • No email addresses are stored for shared link responses

  • Same anonymity guarantees apply

Team Features

  • Team members can share templates but not feedback responses

  • Each person's feedback requests remain private

  • Credits are shared, but usage details are individual

Anonymity Safeguards

What Prevents Identification?

  1. Response Mixing: Feedback is analyzed together, not sequentially

  2. Pattern Analysis: AI focuses on themes across all responses

  3. Content Filtering: Removes names, specific examples that could identify someone

  4. Time Delays: Summaries generated in batches, not real-time

Edge Cases We Handle

  • Small teams: We still require 5 responses minimum

  • Unique writing styles: AI normalizes language patterns

  • Specific examples: Filtered or generalized in summaries

Trust and Transparency

Our Commitments

  • We will never sell or share respondent data

  • Platform updates won't compromise anonymity

  • Regular security audits ensure protection

  • Clear data retention and deletion policies

What This Means for Respondents

  • Safe space to provide honest feedback

  • No fear of retaliation or identification

  • Constructive criticism without confrontation

  • Professional growth for everyone involved

FAQs About Anonymity

Q: Can I ever see who responded? A: Yes if you used emails to share the request you can see who responded but not their responded. If you use the share link then No.

Q: What if someone mentions their name in feedback? A: Our AI filters out identifying information before generating summaries.

Q: How do I know my respondents trust the anonymity? A: Share this page with them! We're transparent about our process.

Q: What about very small teams (less than 5 people)? A: You'll need to invite additional respondents from outside your immediate team to meet the minimum threshold.

Building a Culture of Trust

Anonymous feedback works best when:

  • Requesters communicate the purpose clearly

  • Respondents understand the anonymity guarantees

  • Everyone focuses on growth, not criticism

  • The process is used regularly, not just for problems

Privacy by Design

SignalStep was built with privacy-first principles:

  • Anonymity isn't an add-on - it's core to our architecture

  • We collect the minimum data necessary

  • Regular security reviews and updates

  • Compliance with global privacy regulations

Did this answer your question?