The online communication landscape has changed significantly from the early days of the Internet. In most developed countries, people are constantly connected through the Internet to almost everyone else in their lives, everywhere they go. The Internet makes their lives more convenient, but unintentional exposure of personal information to unexpected audiences can cause them emotional and tangible damage. After information leakage, some people adopt remedies such as self-censoring posts on social media, changing their passwords, not registering on websites, and using anonymous communication tools. Many people, however, do not take any action. Some feel that anything they do will be ineffective. This thesis investigates the circumstances under which people hide their information online, their motivations, and how they do so. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]