Have you been ripped by online fiends?

If you've ever seen your good name smeared on the Internet, where it is available worldwide and often permanently in some form, you probably felt like you had been raped, violated, defiled.

That's because you were.

You are hardly alone.

Maybe it hasn't happened to you yet, but you fear it may.

Again, it's not even a question of if, just a question of when, according to the experts.

One of those experts is Steven Wyer, author of the new book "Violated Online," which is not a book designed to scare you about the risk of defamation and harmful personal and professional attacks on the Internet, but rather a guide to protecting and defending yourself against the inevitable in this age of instant communications that reach millions.

With Facebook members now numbering 800 million and 50 percent of them logging in each day, your information is being seen more than ever.

Wyer offers practical and detailed advice on how you can reclaim your privacy and reputation in "Violated Online."

Here are seven things that you can do to reclaim your privacy while staying active in social media:

When giving your information to a site, do not provide your real physical address. Provide a zip code and if an address is required use your work address, attorneys' office or street address of a post office.
Do not include links to your other sites. Redirecting visitors to these sites may provide personal information that you may not want known.
Avoid sharing and commenting on blogs and forums. These comments may unintentionally appear in your search results.
Do not include hobbies, political or religious affiliations. When this information is viewable through general search results it can be used by current and potential employers, peers, competitors and social relationships.
Set up different email accounts that can be used for different purposes. Personal, work, surveys/coupons/applications. This is a free way to filter spam, malware and other viruses.
Be deliberate about posting a photograph. On professional business websites use a business headshot. On social sites use a picture of you as a child, your pet, a favorite scene. Do not post personal pictures or pictures of your children.
Don't link your social sites to those of your spouse, children or siblings or employer

Participate under your terms. You can connect without violating your privacy

There doesn't have to be negative information online in order to benefit from reviewing your search results and improving the information found about you. There can be information that is incorrect, incomplete or embarrassing. Employment and promotion opportunities, admissions evaluations, credit relationships and social relationships can all be impacted. Here are six things you can do today to improve your online reputation:

Be aware of what is there – do research on your own search results
When negative information is found, attempt to correct it
When it can't be corrected, request its removal
Claim your name – social sites, profile sites and URLs
Participate in Google Alerts and Yahoo Alerts – free monitoring services
Participate in the discussion – honest dialog can allow people to better know the real you

If you have been attacked, what are your options?

Ignoring the information about yourself and hoping it will go away is not a solution. Take active steps to defend yourself.

Review the Terms and Conditions of the site to see if the negative content violates the sites guidelines, and:

Request removal – some sites will respond favorably
Do not respond with a rebuttal. There is no benefit to you, only further damage
Make sure that the information on your existing sites is accurate and information that you want known about you
Become your own public relations person

In "Violated Online," by Steven Myer, you'll get a detailed prescription for doing all of the above and a lot more in protecting your privacy, your identity and your character.

How much would that be worth to you?

Good news! "Violated Online" is on sale in the WND Superstore for just $16.99.

If you want to know more about the threats you face to your privacy in these Wild West days of high technology, check out the following:

"SPY CHIPS: How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Move With RFID"

"The Fall of America and the Western World" (boxed DVD set with more than eight hours of instruction from Joseph Farah, Alex Jones, Doug Casey, Paul Craig Roberts, G. Edward Griffin and many others.)

"The Tyranny of Email: The 4,000-Year Journey to Your Inbox" by John Freeman

"Taking America Back" – the classic manifesto by Joseph Farah that has sold more than 100,000 copies.