A recent article by The Economist describes how microlenders are using social media to assess creditworthiness.  However a prior article also by The Economist suggests microlending has been discredited.

The real problem, as outlined in Aftershock by Robert Reich, is that lending has expanded because wages of the 99% have remained stagnant or declined. More efficient lending and credit analysis is not what this world needs long term. What we need is wages of the 99% to rise so they do not have to borrow so much.