Duolingo is under threat.
A popular language learning service may be subject to restrictions in Europe. A new bill proposed by the European Commission suggests that users should be able to disable features that force them to return to an app regularly or spend more time in it. This especially applies to continuous activity counters. And that, in turn, is one of the key mechanics of the language learning app Duolingo. Progress in this app is measured by what's called "impact status" - that is, the number of days the user completes at least one lesson without skipping.
Judging by user reviews, this mechanic really does discipline. But, in the end, in-app purchases are still at the forefront, explains Alexey Pak, founder of the advertising and production agency Door Purple. According to him, such mixed mechanics come from the gaming industry - they also give a certain time to complete tasks, and this time can be extended with real money. Duolingo implemented such a mechanism earlier and with greater success than other major players, says Park.
The European Commission considers such mechanics to be addictive, i.e. causing dependence. And he claims that they harm users. But not every addiction is destructive, says clinical psychologist, author, candidate for psychological sciences Mikhail Hors. In his opinion, a person cannot be independent of anything - be it sports, money or other people. And the line of harm passes where the addiction begins to affect other areas of a person's life. So it is far better to depend on language learning than on psychotropic substances.
However, Duolingo has been adapting to the laws of the countries in which it operates for a long time. For example, after the LGBT in Russia was recognized as an extremist organization, any mention of same-sex relationships disappeared from the lessons. So the shock mode is unlikely to disappear from the phones of Russian users.
Author: Olga Kashinskaya.