Navigating Digital Proxemics: Designing Communication Technologies for Interpersonal Relationship Management 

Our research introduces digital proxemics, a reconceptualization of traditional proxemics theory for online contexts. Through interviews and social mapping with 15 participants, we identify two key axes—interactional ties and topical scope—that shape how people manage digital relational spaces. Building on these axes, we outline five communication patterns, highlight three challenges in navigating online proximity, and propose design implications for technologies that support adaptive interaction, protect autonomy, and integrate AI assistance.