Duolingo

2023 - 1 - 23

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Image courtesy of "MakeUseOf"

Is Duolingo Safe? Here's Everything You Need to Know (MakeUseOf)

Duolingo is great to help you learn a language, but what's its security like? Has it suffered any data breaches? And does it keep your data private?

It would also be a good idea to limit the information you share with Duolingo, though it should be pointed out that some of the information you choose to share (e.g. You may not become fluent in a new language with Duolingo, but it will definitely help you get there, primarily by expanding your vocabulary. What's more problematic is the fact that Duolingo works with a number of third-party analytics firms and advertising networks, and shares user data with them. Security and privacy may be related and co-dependent, but they are not one and the same. To modify permissions on Android, launch the Settings menu and navigate to Apps. If it contains spelling errors, a suspicious link, or an urgent call to action, it might be a scam. [ask for certain permissions](https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/important-smartphone-app-permissions/). If the victim got into contact with a supposed support agent, several malicious programs would be installed on their computer, allowing the threat actor to access their information. The ads are not too annoying and most only last around five seconds or so, but they are fairly frequent—when you complete an exercise, you have to watch an ad to proceed. Duolingo courses align with CERF (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) standards, but the software also utilizes artificial intelligence to personalize the experience for each individual user. If they complete tasks consistently and earn enough points, users can advance to a new league, with the number one spot in the Diamond league being the ultimate goal. How much data does it collect, and is it a secure app?

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Image courtesy of "CNET"

Duolingo Transformed Me Into a Monster (CNET)

At the end of October, I decided to start studying Spanish on Duolingo. That was a good decision because learning a new language is fun and rewarding. But it ...

I watched in horror as a mobile phone app went through the stages of grief in its attempt to get me back. She was speaking the language of the real world with actual words, and I was woefully unequipped to respond. But I suspect that if my wife were to walk out of her home office, right this very second, and speak to me in Spanish, I'd freak out. I'd disintegrate into a pile of clothing and smoke like the Wicked Witch of the West. We had so much planned, to the point where I barely had time to check my phone. All that's left: the decaying tendrils of the methods used to ensnare me, my inner monologue trying to make sense of it all. I was barely ashamed of my incompetence. It was also a decision tied to a productivity kick. Duolingo was a machine designed to make me feel superficially productive. In that time, my sister-in-law went from knowing close to zero Spanish to handling every situation using a language she'd been learning on the fly. At the end of October, I decided to start studying Spanish on Duolingo. But the truth was I wanted to learn Spanish because, while visiting family -- who had spent 10 months working in Chile -- I'd become inspired/jealous of how quickly they'd acclimated.

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