It's essential that you engage in a normal way to benefit from the Internet.

What People DO online Now EVERYONE's Connected? Internet FAILURES? To BE or NOT to BE Digital Superhighway
"I Won't Expose Who I Am Online" "I worry about how other people might use what they learn about me, if I join groups online." "I refuse to use my credit card online." "I Won't Expose Who I Am Online" The three statements above are quotes from my survey respondents. This is a serious topic. You can't live your life without risk. Most of us are happy to walk on the street and happy to drive a car. There are risks, but we think we understand the risk and that the benefits of taking that risk are significant. The same thing applies online. I have sympathy however with two groups of people. People in high positions: This could be any one of us, at some stage in our lives. First of all you are in a demanding situation and lots of people might expect more access to you than is possible. People like this are unlikely to personally spend much time online. People from authoritarian countries: That might be almost any country in the world. I certainly have friends in India and China and the USA, who while being active online never identify who they are. There are legitimate reasons why some people want and need to not use their own names. On Ryze, 93% of people use their proper name. On LinkedIn close to 100% use a real name. This builds trust into the network. Pretending to use a real name, which is actually false, would be to betray that trust. Using a false photograph betrays trust. People don't do that, because they understand the need to build a reputation of reliability online.	There are risks, but for most of us those risks are small, given that you behave in a sensible way. That begins with installing a programme to protect your computer from malicious attack. It also involves taking basic precautions to protect your private data. If you join the right groups, anything you need to know, the group will tell you. All you need to do is ask.

"I worry about how other people might use what they learn about me, if I join groups online."

"I refuse to use my credit card online."

"I Won't Expose Who I Am Online"

The three statements above are quotes from my survey respondents.

This is a serious topic. You can't live your life without risk. Most of us are happy to walk on the street and happy to drive a car. There are risks, but we think we understand the risk and that the benefits of taking that risk are significant.

The same thing applies online.

I have sympathy however with two groups of people.

People in high positions: This could be any one of us, at some stage in our lives. First of all you are in a demanding situation and lots of people might expect more access to you than is possible. People like this are unlikely to personally spend much time online.

People from authoritarian countries: That might be almost any country in the world. I certainly have friends in India and China and the USA, who while being active online never identify who they are. There are legitimate reasons why some people want and need to not use their own names.

On Ryze, 93% of people use their proper name. On LinkedIn close to 100% use a real name. This builds trust into the network. Pretending to use a real name, which is actually false, would be to betray that trust. Using a false photograph betrays trust. People don't do that, because they understand the need to build a reputation of reliability online.

Adapt to Experience

"I Won't Expose Who I Am Online"