Duolingo: Difference between revisions
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====Privacy==== | ====Privacy==== | ||
According to the privacy policy, if a Duolingo Max user utilizes artificial-intelligence (AI) features, a copy of their text or audio data will be shared with vendors such as [[OpenAI]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duolingo.com/privacy|title=Privacy Policy|work=Duolingo|date=2024-09-11|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124094802/https://www.duolingo.com/privacy|archive-date=2025-01-24|url-status=live}}</ref> This is also similar for non-AI features, as Duolingo "may also collect and analyze your speech to help [it] understand the effectiveness of [its] lessons and to improve the product", though the data | According to the privacy policy, if a Duolingo Max user utilizes artificial-intelligence (AI) features, a copy of their text or audio data will be shared with vendors such as [[OpenAI]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duolingo.com/privacy|title=Privacy Policy|work=Duolingo|date=2024-09-11|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124094802/https://www.duolingo.com/privacy|archive-date=2025-01-24|url-status=live}}</ref> This is also similar for non-AI features, as Duolingo "may also collect and analyze your speech to help [it] understand the effectiveness of [its] lessons and to improve the product", though the data is anonymized. | ||
It is also mentioned that when completing a lesson, a video of a user's lesson "will be logged by a service called FullStory". This service records usage patterns, device specs, and learning activity, and is only disabled by default for child users. Opting out requires going to FullStory's website. | It is also mentioned that when completing a lesson, a video of a user's lesson "will be logged by a service called FullStory". This service records usage patterns, device specs, and learning activity, and is only disabled by default for child users. Opting out requires going to FullStory's website. | ||
The policy states the app works with third-party advertising networks to personalize advertising, such as with [[Google]], [[Meta]], [[OAuth]], and [[Unity]]. Personalized advertising can be disabled in the app's settings. | The policy states the app works with third-party advertising networks to [[Personalized Ads|personalize advertising]], such as with [[Google]], [[Meta]], [[OAuth]], and [[Unity Engine runtime fee|Unity]]. Personalized advertising can be disabled in the app's settings. | ||
The Exodus Privacy project lists as many as 13 tracking, advertising and analytics service libraries being present in the Android version of the app.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/de/reports/com.duolingo/latest/|title=Report for com.duolingo 6.22.3|work=exodus|date=2025-03-25|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326193207/https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/de/reports/com.duolingo/latest/|archive-date=2025-03-26|url-status=live}}</ref> The app does not work for more than about one lesson without internet access, hence turning off internet access is not an option to prevent data exfiltration. The [https://trackercontrol.org/ F-Droid version of Tracker Control] can help with blocking some of the traffic to these services without impacting the functionality of the app. | The Exodus Privacy project lists as many as 13 tracking, advertising and analytics service libraries being present in the Android version of the app.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/de/reports/com.duolingo/latest/|title=Report for com.duolingo 6.22.3|work=exodus|date=2025-03-25|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326193207/https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/de/reports/com.duolingo/latest/|archive-date=2025-03-26|url-status=live}}</ref> The app does not work for more than about one lesson without internet access, hence turning off internet access is not an option to prevent data exfiltration. The [https://trackercontrol.org/ F-Droid version of Tracker Control] can help with blocking some of the traffic to these services without impacting the functionality of the app. | ||
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On March 14, 2023, a new subscription service was released called "Duolingo Max", that promised highly personalized language learning with [[ChatGPT]]-4 integration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-max/|title=Duolingo Max Uses OpenAI's GPT-4 For New Learning Features|author=Duolingo Team|date=2023-03-14|work=Duolingo Blog|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304001440/https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-max/|archive-date=2025-03-04|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2024, a new feature was added to the subscription that allowed users to interact with a character named Lily.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/video-call/|title=Duolingo's Video Call Offers Realistic Conversation Practice|author=Duolingo Team|date=2024-09-24|access-date=2025-03-26|work=Duolingo Blog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306000114/https://blog.duolingo.com/video-call/|archive-date=2025-03-06|url-status=live}}</ref> This subscription feature would show on the "learning path"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/new-duolingo-home-screen-design/|title=The Science Behind Duolingo's Home Screen Redesign|first1=Holly|last1=Munson|first2=Anton|last2=Yu|first3=Ananya|last3=Rajgarhia|first4=Aj|last4=Noh|work=Duolingo Blog|date=2022-05-06|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250302080539/https://blog.duolingo.com/new-duolingo-home-screen-design/|archive-date=2025-03-02|url-status=live}}</ref> for all users, regardless of their subscription status. | On March 14, 2023, a new subscription service was released called "Duolingo Max", that promised highly personalized language learning with [[ChatGPT]]-4 integration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-max/|title=Duolingo Max Uses OpenAI's GPT-4 For New Learning Features|author=Duolingo Team|date=2023-03-14|work=Duolingo Blog|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304001440/https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-max/|archive-date=2025-03-04|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2024, a new feature was added to the subscription that allowed users to interact with a character named Lily.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/video-call/|title=Duolingo's Video Call Offers Realistic Conversation Practice|author=Duolingo Team|date=2024-09-24|access-date=2025-03-26|work=Duolingo Blog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306000114/https://blog.duolingo.com/video-call/|archive-date=2025-03-06|url-status=live}}</ref> This subscription feature would show on the "learning path"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/new-duolingo-home-screen-design/|title=The Science Behind Duolingo's Home Screen Redesign|first1=Holly|last1=Munson|first2=Anton|last2=Yu|first3=Ananya|last3=Rajgarhia|first4=Aj|last4=Noh|work=Duolingo Blog|date=2022-05-06|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250302080539/https://blog.duolingo.com/new-duolingo-home-screen-design/|archive-date=2025-03-02|url-status=live}}</ref> for all users, regardless of their subscription status. | ||
On September 3, 2024, users alleged they could not make a lesson have "legendary" status unless they paid for the "Duolingo Max" subscription to access the video-call lessons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1f7wlul/how_am_i_supposed_to_legendary/|title=How am I supposed to legendary?|author=u/ChasingKilts|date=2024-09-03|work=Reddit|access-date=2025-03-27|archive-url=https://archive. | On September 3, 2024, users alleged they could not make a lesson have "legendary" status unless they paid for the "Duolingo Max" subscription to access the video-call lessons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1f7wlul/how_am_i_supposed_to_legendary/|title=How am I supposed to legendary?|author=u/ChasingKilts|date=2024-09-03|work=Reddit|access-date=2025-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222215616/https://old.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1f7wlul/how_am_i_supposed_to_legendary/|archive-date=22 Feb 2026|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, the subscription was $30 per month and to get a legendary status for a lesson, each attempt would be 100 gems for free users<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1f7wlul/comment/llbedvt/|title=Bluerious518 comments on How am I supposed to legendary?|author=u/Bluerious518|work=Reddit|date=2024-09-03|access-date=2025-03-27|archive-url=https://archive.ph/O5qvQ|archive-date=2025-01-23|url-status=live}}</ref> (not including Super Duolingo users).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.duolingo.com/super-duolingo-launch/|title=Super Duolingo Is Duolingo's New Premium Product|first=Jay|last=Fanelli|work=Duolingo Blog|date=2022-06-08|access-date=2025-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124090707/https://blog.duolingo.com/super-duolingo-launch/|archive-date=2025-01-24|url-status=live}}</ref> Some users were able to fix the behavior, though the "go to legendary" button would still not bring users to a skipped or new level.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1f7wlul/how_am_i_supposed_to_legendary/m6uspad/|title=haa888 comments on How am I supposed to legendary?|author=u/haa888|work=Reddit|date=2025-01-13|access-date=2025-03-27|archive-url=https://archive.ph/Jzon1|archive-date=2025-01-23|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
====Implications==== | ====Implications==== | ||
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Recently, some of the timed learning games inside the app are impossible to complete in the time allowed, even for a native speaker of the language.{{Cite}} In order to win, the user needs to pay for a subscription to buy more time. This also means that the learning high scores can essentially be bought. | Recently, some of the timed learning games inside the app are impossible to complete in the time allowed, even for a native speaker of the language.{{Cite}} In order to win, the user needs to pay for a subscription to buy more time. This also means that the learning high scores can essentially be bought. | ||
=== Abusing iPhone Dynamic Island Feature for advertising (2026) === | ===Abusing iPhone Dynamic Island Feature for advertising (2026)=== | ||
Ignoring Apple's app store guidelines, the company used the Dynamic Island feature, an area of the iOS screen reserved for notifying users of progress of background processes, to push a sales promotion with a countdown via its iPhone app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schwan |first=Ben |date=2026-01-05 |title=Duolingo is putting ads in Apple's Dynamic Island – even though it's not allowed |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Duolingo-is-putting-ads-in-Apple-s-Dynamic-Island-even-though-it-s-not-allowed-11128917.html |access-date=2026-01-05 |website=Heise Online}}</ref> | Ignoring Apple's app store guidelines, the company used the Dynamic Island feature, an area of the iOS screen reserved for notifying users of progress of background processes, to push a sales promotion with a countdown via its iPhone app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schwan |first=Ben |date=2026-01-05 |title=Duolingo is putting ads in Apple's Dynamic Island – even though it's not allowed |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Duolingo-is-putting-ads-in-Apple-s-Dynamic-Island-even-though-it-s-not-allowed-11128917.html |access-date=2026-01-05 |website=Heise Online |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260106005825/https://www.heise.de/en/news/Duolingo-is-putting-ads-in-Apple-s-Dynamic-Island-even-though-it-s-not-allowed-11128917.html |archive-date=6 Jan 2026}}</ref> | ||
==Products== | ==Products== | ||