Just as you take steps to protect your identity in real life, so should you take measures to protect your identity online.

That being said, a recent study conducted by the Pew Research center suggests Americans feel that remaining anonymous online is much more intimidating and difficult. It’s time we all reassess how anonymous our online presences’ truly are.

The 2016 report surveyed over 1,040 adults, most of whom reported feeling that they’ve “lost control of their personal information” being fearful of whether “government agencies and major corporations can protect the customer data they collect” and really do as they say.

Considering recent events involving large tech corporations, such as Facebook, these are  very legitimate feelings and concerns for Americans to hold.