Is complete online anonymity possible?

Most Internet users would like to be anonymous online at least occasionally, but many think it is not possible to be completely anonymous online, according to new findings in a national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project.

The survey indicates:

86 percent of Internet users have taken steps online to remove or mask their digital footprints—ranging from clearing cookies to encrypting their email, from avoiding using their name to using virtual networks that mask their internet protocol (IP) address.

55 percent of internet users have taken steps to avoid observation by specific people, organizations, or the government.

Still, 59 percent of Internet users do not believe it is possible to be completely anonymous online, while 37percent of them believe it is possible.

A section of the survey looking at various security-related issues finds that notable numbers of Internet users say they have experienced problems because others stole their personal information or otherwise took advantage of their visibility online—including hijacked email and social media accounts, stolen information such as Social Security numbers or credit card information, stalking or harassment, loss of reputation, or victimization by scammers.

21 percent of Internet users have had an email or social networking account compromised or taken over by someone else without permission.

13 percent of Internet users have experienced trouble in a relationship between them and a family member or a friend because of something the user posted online.

12 percent of Internet users have been stalked or harassed online.

11 percent of Internet users have had important personal information stolen such as their Social Security Number, credit card, or bank account information.

6 percent of Internet users have been the victim of an online scam and lost money.

6 percent of Internet users have had their reputation damaged because of something that happened online.

4 percent of Internet users have been led into physical danger because of something that happened online.

1 percent of Internet users have lost a job opportunity or educational opportunity because of something they posted online or someone posted about them.

Some 68 percent of Internet users believe current laws are not good enough in protecting people’s privacy online and 24 percent believe current laws provide reasonable protections.

Most Internet users know that key pieces of personal information about them are available online—such as photos and videos of them, their email addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, home addresses, and the groups to which they belong. And growing numbers of Internet users (50 percent) say they are worried about the amount of personal information about them that is online—a figure that has jumped from 33 percent who expressed such worry in 2009.

People would like control over their information, saying in many cases it is very important to them that only they or the people they authorize should be given access to such things as the content of their emails, the people to whom they are sending emails, the place where they are when they are online, and the content of the files they download.