A method and structure for identifying potential relationships between
users of a computer network is disclosed. The invention extracts
relationship information from databases in the computer network in order
to establish multiple relationship chains of the users from the
relationship information. More specifically, the invention evaluates
network information and network communications between the users to
produce metrics and processes the metrics to produce contact information.
The contact information indicates whether a personal relationship exists
between two users. In addition, the invention can produce relationship
values representing strengths of social relationships between users of
the computer network based on such relationship information.