Is a girl's action of informing a young man of her desire to end an electronic relationship—which has not reached the stage of khalwa (private seclusion)—and her lack of interest in marrying him lawfully, considered Islamically permissible?

A woman's communication with a man who is a stranger to her is forbidden if there is no need for it, because it is a means to discord and corruption. However, conversation conducted courteously and within a general framework in public groups is permissible. Nevertheless, it is preferable to separate men and women in groups as a precautionary measure.

If there is a need to frankly tell a man of one's unwillingness to marry him, there is no harm in that. And if he proposes to her, she has the right to annul the engagement even without a reason.