Online Interview Consent Form
A free online interview consent form for Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, telephone, and email-based interviews. Covers digital consent, recording permission, GDPR compliance, and electronic signatures.
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REMOTE PLATFORM: This interview will be conducted via Zoom with [ researcher ] of [ institution ].
DIGITAL RECORDING: This online interview will be audio and video recorded. Recordings are stored securely and used solely for research purposes.
VOLUNTARY: Participation is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw at any time, including by declining to send your responses if this is an email interview.
ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE: By signing below or returning this form via email, I confirm informed consent to participate in this online interview.
PARTICIPANT SIGNATURE: ___________________________ Date: __________
RESEARCHER SIGNATURE: ___________________________ Date: __________
What Is an Online Interview Consent Form and When Do You Need One?
An online interview consent form is a digital version of a standard interview consent form, specifically designed for remote interviews conducted via video call, phone, or email. It documents the participant's voluntary, informed agreement to take part in an interview conducted on a remote platform such as Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or telephone — and grants permission for the interview to be recorded, transcribed, and used for the specified purpose.
The need for a consent form does not disappear simply because an interview takes place online. For academic and social science research, most Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) require a signed informed consent form before any interview, regardless of whether it is conducted in person or remotely. An IRB interview consent form must still meet all standard requirements — study purpose, participant rights, confidentiality provisions, and data storage details — even when delivered and signed digitally. For qualitative research using semi-structured or in-depth online interviews, a qualitative interview consent form should be sent and returned before the session begins.
Online interviews introduce specific consent considerations that standard forms may not cover. If the interview will be recorded via Zoom's built-in recording feature, note that Zoom's automatic recording notification is not a substitute for a signed consent form — it only informs the participant that recording has started, not what will happen to the recording. If the interview will be conducted with video enabled and the recording may be used publicly, a video interview consent form with explicit broadcast and publication rights should be used instead.
For researchers working with EU-based participants, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires that consent forms include the identity of the data controller, the legal basis for processing personal data, retention periods, and the participant's right to erasure. GDPR applies regardless of where the researcher is based — if your participant is in the EU or UK, GDPR applies to your data. The UK ICO guidance on valid consent provides detailed requirements for research consent under UK GDPR.
For telephone interviews, many IRBs accept a verbal consent script read aloud and recorded at the start of the call as an alternative to a written signature. However, a written online consent form sent by email and returned before the call is always the more defensible approach. Our simple interview consent form is well-suited for straightforward telephone research. For researchers whose projects also involve in-person focus groups, a focus group interview consent form may also be needed alongside this form. To see examples before creating your own, browse our interview consent form samples and examples or follow our step-by-step guide on how to write an interview consent form.
What to Include in an Online Interview Consent Form
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Remote platform used for the interview Specify the exact platform: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Google Meet, telephone, or email. This identifies the data transmission channel and helps participants understand their own technical obligations.
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Researcher name, institution, and contact details Include a direct email address so the participant can submit a signed digital copy and ask questions before the session.
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Purpose of the interview and how data will be used State the research question, study title, and what outputs the interview will contribute to — publication, thesis, report, or journalistic piece. See our research interview consent form for full academic language.
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Digital recording consent — audio and/or video Explicitly state whether the session will be audio recorded, video recorded, screen-captured, or conducted with notes only. Zoom's built-in recording notification does not replace this requirement.
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Data storage, security, and transmission details Describe where recordings and transcripts will be stored (encrypted cloud, institutional server), who will have access, and how long data will be retained before deletion.
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GDPR / CCPA / privacy law compliance statement If interviewing EU/UK participants, include the legal basis for processing under GDPR, the data controller's identity, and participant rights (access, erasure, portability). For US-based research with California residents, include CCPA disclosure.
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Electronic signature option and submission instructions Provide clear instructions for how to sign and return the form — typed name in an email reply, scanned signature, or via a tool like DocuSign or Adobe Sign. Returning the completed form by email constitutes valid consent in most jurisdictions.
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Right to withdraw — including for email interviews Confirm that participation is voluntary and that the participant may withdraw at any time. For email interviews, note that not sending responses is a valid form of withdrawal.
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Special note for telephone interviews State whether an oral consent script will be accepted in lieu of a written signature, and how oral consent will be documented (recorded at the start of the call, witnessed, etc.). See also: are phone recordings legal in your state?
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Signature lines with date — typed or handwritten Both researcher and participant should sign and date. For online forms, a typed full name with the date is accepted as a valid electronic signature in most countries under ESIGN (US), eIDAS (EU), and equivalent legislation.
Key Resources for Online Interview Consent
- GDPR.eu — What is GDPR? — plain-language overview of EU data protection requirements, including consent standards for research involving EU residents.
- UK ICO — What is valid consent under UK GDPR? — the official UK regulator's guidance on obtaining valid research consent, including freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous requirements.
- Reporters Committee — State-by-State Recording Law Guide — which US states require one-party vs two-party consent for recording telephone and online conversations.
- HHS — 45 CFR 46 (Common Rule) — US federal regulations governing informed consent for research involving human subjects, including remote interview research.
Online Interview Consent Form — Sample Text
Copy this sample or browse more interview consent form examples. Download the editable PDF or Word version below.
ONLINE INTERVIEW CONSENT FORM
Platform: [ ] Zoom [ ] Microsoft Teams [ ] Skype [ ] Google Meet
[ ] Phone / Telephone [ ] Email [ ] Other: _____________
Researcher: [Name], [Institution/Organization]
Contact: [email] | [phone]
Study Title: [Study Title]
Interview Topic: [Topic]
Scheduled Date/Time: [Date] at [Time]
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ABOUT THIS ONLINE INTERVIEW
This interview is conducted remotely via [platform] as part of
[research project / journalistic investigation / UX study] on [topic].
Estimated duration: [X] minutes.
DIGITAL RECORDING CONSENT
[ ] I consent to audio recording of this online interview
[ ] I consent to video recording of this online interview
[ ] Notes only (no recording)
DATA STORAGE & SECURITY
All recordings and/or transcripts will be stored on [encrypted cloud
storage / secure institutional server]. Data will be protected in
accordance with [GDPR / CCPA / applicable privacy legislation] and
deleted after [retention period]. Contact [data controller name] at
[email] with any privacy queries.
EMAIL INTERVIEW NOTE
If this is an email interview, your written responses constitute the
interview data. By sending your responses, you confirm your consent
to participate in this study.
TELEPHONE INTERVIEW NOTE
For telephone interviews, written consent is preferred. If oral consent
only, this will be recorded at the start of the call and witnessed by
[researcher name].
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Participation is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw at any time
without penalty. For email interviews, you may decline to send
responses. For recorded video calls, contact the researcher within
[timeframe] to request data deletion before analysis begins.
ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE
By signing below (or by returning this form via email with your name
and the date), I confirm my voluntary, informed consent to participate
in this online interview under the terms described above.
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Participant Name (print): ______________________________
Participant Signature: _________________________________ Date: __________
Researcher Signature: __________________________________ Date: __________