"Charlotte's Web:" How One Woman Weaves Positive Relationships on the Net

This case study will explore one woman's experience of the Internet as a positive transformational medium through relationship. In order to protect the anonymity of the participant and in honor of the original female on the web, she has been referred to throughout the paper as Charlotte. This case study explores her online experience as a divorced woman in her early thirties, who soon after her discovery of the Internet began an online relationship. This resulted in, among other things, the end of her marriage. On the surface, Charlotte's story reads like that of many others. However, while that initial online relationship did not work out, she continued to use the Internet as a means of finding and developing other relationships, both platonic and romantic. She can also be distinguished from the stereotyped "online junkie," as she has maintained a strong face-to-face social life along side her Internet relationships. In her own words, "The Internet has been a positive and transformational medium in my life." As well, she has kept a detailed journal of her experience since her first foray onto the Net 18 months ago, making her an ideal candidate for a case study. Material for the case study was gathered over the course of a number of 1-hour interviews carried out online via ICQ® chat software. Charlotte was encouraged to reflect upon her journal before each interview, and ambiguities in the interview were resolved by E-mail follow-up. A qualitative analysis was carried out on the material through a hermeneutic frame, exploring themes of self-perception and self in relation to others.