Duolingo and Privacy

Privacy
1

Duolingo is a pretty popular, and reasonably effective, learning tool. It also collects a lot of unecessary data: https://cybernews.com/news/duolingo-champion-of-tracking/

Exodus also has found 10 known trackers in the app.

I know sandboxes (like GrapheneOS sandbox) would restrict the amount of data collected; it wouldn’t actually stop the tracker from sending what it has, though.

My family loves Duolingo. Is there a way to restrict the data collection?

Or, is there a good alternative?

2
  1. I would recommend you either use Duolingo in the browser or install a PWA.
  2. If you want an app, then don’t give them permissions that you aren’t comfortable giving them, for example, I wouldn’t use any functionality that needs microphone permission.
  3. Try to give them as little information as possible, use e-mail alliases, etc.
3 Likes
3

Pay for a flesh and blood tutor locally.

You are giving money to people, not big tech.

The tutor’s phone might leak data though, I jist realized. Best to meet ina coffee shop or a library. Libraries still are a thing locally though, right? I just moved residence in a more rural area and I dont seem to see them.

1 Like
4

Initially Ive read FETISH and thought: what the … :smile:

Not sure if there is from within app itself, but try system-wide Permissions

5

Using it in the browser is unfortunately not really an option on iOS as I can’t seem to get the sound working. A lot of exercises depend on being able to hear what is being said so I guess that limits me to doing DuoLingo on desktop.

6

Anki is awesome. It’s a FOSS program you can run locally, and you can find all sorts of decks for it, including other subjects like math, science, etc.

That’s a lot more expensive. But you can get free tutoring if you date someone who speaks the language. :wink:

1 Like
7

And if you’re a RMS fanboy you’ll be happy to know that after the human genome was sequenced the person you’re dating can be considered free* and open source!

*until the person discovers you’re using them just to learn a language at which point you’ll be paying for quite a while.

1 Like