To fight potential racial bias in its booking process, short-term rental company Airbnb will begin hiding the first names of potential guests from Oregon from its potential hosts. Until the booking is confirmed, the host will see the initials of the interested renters. The program is to be implemented by the end of January and is to last for at least two years.
At this point, the change only applies to Oregon residents, with no concrete plans to make it permanent or expand it. “Given that the impact of this change is unknown, implementation will be limited,” a company spokesperson said in an email on Thursday.
The change stems from a 2019 settlement of a lawsuit brought by three African-American women who alleged that requiring potential renters to share full names and photos of their faces, allowing hosts to rank with them on the basis of race. discrimination is allowed.
This is not the first action Airbnb has taken to stop racial discrimination. The company made changes to when and how profile pictures are shared and required hosts to sign an anti-discrimination commitment. In 2020, Airbnb launched the Lighthouse Project to measure and fight racial bias on its platform, with the help of the racial justice organization Color of Change.
In 2016, a Harvard Business Review Journal study found that “guests with uniquely African-American names” were 16% less likely to be accepted on stage than “similar guests with distinctly white names.”
“This update is in line with a 2019 voluntary settlement agreement with individuals in Oregon who raised concerns about the way guests’ names were displayed,” the company said in a blog post announcing the move in late December. ,
Credit cards with higher spending limits often offer better rewards and allow you to finance larger purchases. When you pay off your balance in full every month, these cards can boost your credit score and fetch you big rewards.
However, you’ll need a very solid credit score to get approved for one of these cards in the first place. Most high-limit cards require good to excellent credit to be approved.
It’s important to note that high-limit credit cards — like all credit cards — must be used carefully or you can quickly end up with a mountain of debt. Paying off your balance in full each month is the key to success, and it’s essential with these cards.
Failing to pay off your balance with a large credit line each month can result in huge interest charges and financial catastrophe. Keeping that in mind, here’s what our partners have to offer for the best credit cards with high limits.
our take
With a credit limit starting at $10,000, the Chase Sapphire Reserve known as the Travel Rewards Credit Card lets you quickly earn points that can be redeemed for travel. But even if you’re not a frequent flyer, the points you earn can be redeemed for merchandise, entertainment, and food.
Like some other high-limit credit cards, you’ll need excellent credit to qualify for it — and be prepared to spend $550 on an annual fee. But the bonuses available can make up for that expensive fee.
Some of the cool features of this Chase credit card include an annual $300 statement credit to reimburse travel purchases and Priority Pass access at over 1,300 airport lounges around the world.
our take
The BankAmericard Credit Card* is a high-limit, no-frills card. Instead of travel perks or bonuses, the card focuses on lower fees. The introductory APR is ideal if you have a large, upcoming purchase that you would love to pay for over time.
When you pay it you will have 18 billing cycles to carry the balance (0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, followed by 12.99% to 22.99% Variable APR).
After the introductory APR expires, card fees are competitively low. There is no annual fee, and Bank of America does not charge a penalty APR if you miss a payment.