Dealing with Unexpected Bias

Digital marketplaces have the potential to reduce discrimination. Indeed, on early platforms—think eBay circa 1999—transactions were anonymous. But as marketplaces evolved, they began including identifying information, such as names and photos. On Uber, Airbnb, and a host of other platforms, it’s immediately clear whether you’re black or white, male or female—and those details may affect the prices you pay as a buyer and command as a seller or even whether you can do business at all.