Earlier this month, OkCupid co-founder Christian Rudder received tons of criticism from online daters when he took to the site’s blog and published a controversial piece about the company’s use of experimentation in its matchmaking algorithms. In bright red, the title of the post reads loudly, “We Experiment on Human Beings!” Although these experiments were undisclosed to users until Rudder’s write-up, the piece is far from an open apology.

Those who’ve labeled the site’s tinkering as manipulative seem particularly pestered by the compatibility statistics, which OkCupid skewed to reflect higher match results for certain users. According to Rudder, the results and reactions were used in an attempt to improve the site and enhance user experience. In responding to the claims of duplicity  Rudder positioned that, “you’re the subject of hundreds of experiments at any given time, on every site. That’s how websites work.”

This is interesting, but not on the terms that have already been widely discussed. Sure, one can argue that Rudder’s claim borders hyperbole or that it runs a fowl of logical fallacy by pointing the finger, but that’s only scratching the surface. What’s truly interesting about the OKCupid experiment is how it confuses online dating as some huge math equation as opposed to a service real people use to meet other real people. Whether or not you agree that OKCupid and its founders could have conducted their experimentation under better principle, the story itself sheds light on the ever-pressing need to keep online dating personable and in reach. Most online dating services promote some sort of branded matchmaking technology beyond simple search, and as cool and convenient as these services are, the bottom-line of online dating rests on the person-to-person interactions that result from all the back-end algorithms.

That being said, it makes sense why Zoosk, another popular online dating company and one of our top choices at Consumer-Rankings, refers to itself as an online dating community as opposed to a dating service.  There’s more of a pulse with the former. Such can also be noted with the company’s increased focus on mobile technology, which suits the modern dater. It’s like the friend who brings you to a party and introduces you to people as opposed to throwing you to the wolves, expecting you to fend for yourself. Zoosk and the community it creates are a prime example of what the OKCupid experiment omits from the greater dialogue of online dating and where it should be headed.

So, let’s forget about bashing Rudder and the OKCupid office, take the high road and continue bettering online dating for the sake of all those amazing singles out there. If you’re new to online dating or perhaps a bit perturbed by the recent happenings, be sure to check out our Top 5 list of trusted dating websites and find out what you’re missing out on.