Duolingo is a popular language-learning app that has immense followers across the world. The reason behind Duolingo’s popularity lies in its fun approach to language learning.
The app that has won millions of fans worldwide offers courses in more than 40 languages. But is the Duolingo app safe? How secure is Duolingo? Is the app saving your data that may be at risk of being leaked on the dark web?
If you have any of these questions in your mind then don’t worry because we got you covered. In this post, we will try our best to answer these queries in detail.
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Without any further ado, let’s get started:
How Much Data Does Duolingo Collect?
Similar to many other apps, Duolingo collects a large amount of data. It collects your Account information such as email, password, and profile data: name, Photo, and more.
It also collects your progress and time spent on the app along with your IP address, app version, device,e and more.
It uses your data to improve the app, personalize your learning experience, and for Target ads. It is no secret that Duolingo works with third parties such as Google, Facebook, and others and often shares your data with them.
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They then share targeted advertisements on your app. So though Duo does not have much interest in your data these third parties can be a serious threat to your online security as they are often hacked by cyber criminals who are always on the lookout for personal data to sell on the dark web.
Is Duolingo Safe For Kids?
Duolingo is quite particular about child safety and therefore child users are served family-friendly ads only.
It also takes care not to make their profiles visible to other users nor are they allowed to participate in forum discussions.
Social media logins are also disabled for them. Also, children cannot use Duolingo without adult supervision.
However, it is possible that the child can learn abusive words in its target language. The gamified experience is quite addictive for adults too and as we know children are quite excited about winning badges, rewards, and streaks so could get addicted to the app.
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Therefore active and alert supervision by parents is very essential. App permissions of your smartphone may also cause risk to you. So to protect yourself do try to modify the settings on your Android and iOS as a safety measure.
For Android: Open the Settings menu and navigate to Apps. Find Duolingo, tap on it, then tap Permissions.
On iPhone: Navigate to Settings > Duolingo, and change permissions there.
How to Save Yourself From Cyber Thieves
- Make your Duolingo profile private from public from app Settings.
- Grant permissions that are necessary for its functionality.
- Keep your apps updated to reduce the risk of security breaches.
- Use strong passwords for your account.
Safety Policies Implemented by Duolingo
Duolingo too has set up some safety policies to protect its followers:
- Duolingo uses encryption to protect user data which makes it harder for hackers to steal.
- Duolingo also keeps a check on whether or not texts are appropriate in response to users’ complaints and or community standards.
- Defines healthy community guidelines to minimize the risk of harassment, hate speech, and inappropriate conduct.
- Duolingo encourages users to create strong passwords and also offers two-factor authentication for added security.
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Tips To Use Duolingo Safely
- Set a time for using the app.
- Try to use more offline learning processes.
- Make changes to the privacy settings to lower the visibility of the profile.
- Use a strong, unique password.
- Enable two-factor authentication.
- Do not share personal details in your profile.
- Check your privacy settings often.
- If you feel Duolingo isn’t for you, opt for other options for language learning.
Conclusion
Duolingo has its benefits, and risks too like any other online application. Though Duolingo has helped millions of people learn a new language it comes with some security concerns. The reason is that it collects data like any other app and also shares it with third parties.
However, one needs to be alert in the era of using online applications. Be careful not to share personal details, pictures, or names with strangers. Use a strong password and two-step verifications. In this way, you can minimize cyber threats.
Ultimately, the decision to use Duolingo depends on your personal choice. Whether you prefer learning on Duolingo or some other app do not stop your learning process but do this safely with some precautions.
So, is Duolingo dangerous? No, if you follow all the precautions needed for your safety.