Chapter Flirting and the web: The case study of Luxusbuerg

Abstract

This research examines the role of the user in shaping and defining participatory platforms during the early years of the internet and the web. The focus of the study is Luxusbuerg, a Luxembourgish chat network created in 1996 as a channel on the Undernet International Relay Chat (IRC). The channel's success led its owners to develop a dedicated Luxembourg server in 1999, a web chat platform with channels tailored to users' interests. The chapter analyzes how intrinsic IRC elements shaped Luxusbuerg's evolution and user behavior, with a particular focus on the growing prevalence of flirting interactions. Finally, it includes an analysis of the #flirt and #queer channels, in order to ascertain their structural dynamics and user interactions over time.