A method for determining whether to recommend a social relationship between a social network member and another party is disclosed. Electronic communication activity of the social network member and the other party is monitored. Based on a number of characteristics of the communication, a determination is made as to whether to recommend the party to the member as a social network friend. The characteristics can include how the parties communicate—whether through email, instant messaging and/or voice communication, whether the parties send direct email messages to each other, whether they communicate as part of a group email message, the location of each parties address in the email message and whether communication includes sharing activity.