What should a researcher avoid collecting in order to minimize potential risks of harm in an online survey?

Avoiding the collection of direct or indirect identifiers of participants is crucial for minimizing potential risks of harm in an online survey. Identifiers can include names, email addresses, phone numbers, or any other information that could be used to trace back to an individual. When identifiers are collected, there is a risk of breaching participants' privacy, leading to potential harm if that information is exposed or misused. By omitting these identifiers, researchers can better protect participants' anonymity and confidentiality, thus reducing the likelihood of negative consequences that may arise from participating in the study.

When considering the other options: demographic information may be collected as long as it is aggregated or de-identified to protect privacy; participants’ opinions on sensitive issues can be valuable data but must be handled sensitively; and while insights about previous survey experiences can enrich research understanding, they typically do not carry the same risk of harm associated with identifying information.