What does the dating term "ghosting" refer to?

Ghosting is when a person suddenly stops communicating without explanation nor do they respond to inquiries as to why they are not communicating. This has become a more common term since the introduction of texting where a romantic relationship is suddenly stopped. This can also happen with other types of communication including business.

The term is used in the context of online exchanges, and became popular by 2015 through many articles on high-profile celebrity relationship dissolutions, and went on to be widely used. It has been the subject of many articles and discussions on dating and relationships in various media. It was included in the Collins English Dictionary in 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosting_(behavior)

The term "ghosting" has been around a while, such as to leave without saying good-bye, so it did not originate with relationships.

Instant messaging apps, circa Y2K and before texting, had an "invisible" status so people couldn't see if you were online or you wanted to hide from them. The icon for this invisible status was either a faded smiley or a ghost.

"Ghosting" is dated because it's now called "Caspering."

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/ghosting-words-were-watching