Social media use is ubiquitous in the United States. Not surprisingly, an academic debate
has emerged about whether or not computer-mediated communication facilitates or hurts
interpersonal relationships. This exploratory case study adds to the conversation by
assessing how Twitter users in the Wichita, Kansas community view the impact of Twitter
on their social lives, specifically, communication and relationships. Using a grounded

theory approach and inductive thematic analysis, this paper analyzed data from a two-
phase study involving key informant interviews (N=15) and six focus groups (N = 32). Three

themes emerged: Twitter and professional relationships; Twitter and personal
relationships, and Twitter and community. Analysis indicated that Twitter is a robust tool
used to build and maintain interpersonal and community relationships that range from
shallow and impersonal to deep and meaningful, depending on the desires of users, all
in 140 characters or less.