The big data methods mentioned above have also raised controversies. Recent revelations from two popular websites, Facebook and OkCupid, both of which experimented with their users, have sparked interest in the question of what, if any, appropriate applications exist for use of the online social space as a laboratory for furthering our understanding of human behavior (see, for instance, Goel 2014). The key question is whether such experimentation by companies and/or by academics in collaboration with companies provides benefits to society at large, and, if so, what moral scrutiny is appropriate and implementable? We argue that there is a strong case in favor of such experimentation, not just to avoid costly bad decisions, but also for pursuit of better under- standing of what drives human social interactions. Bad decisions not only hurt the bottom line of companies but they cost society since bad decisions result in a misallocation of critical resources. Ever since Pierre Louis’ first ever randomized trial dispelled the notion that bloodletting was a helpful medical practice, carefully designed experimentation has driven scientific analysis and knowledge discovery. Now, with the availability of large-scale experimentation yielding big data, the potential for investigation, testing, and new knowledge development are intriguing.