A class-action lawsuit against Duolingo alleges that the language-learning platform intentionally made its app harder to use to force families into paid subscriptions. The legal action points to a controversial "Energy" system and a shift toward AI-generated content that critics say has degraded the educational value of the app. This development raises serious concerns for parents and teachers who rely on the platform for classroom and home learning. Many schools use the gamified app to keep students engaged, but these recent changes suggest the platform may prioritize corporate profits over student progress.
What Happened
A pension fund filed a securities class-action lawsuit against Duolingo, Inc., as detailed by InvestmentNews. The suit claims that Duolingo introduced deliberate "user friction" in April 2025 to convert free users into paid subscribers. A key change was replacing the old "Hearts" system with an "Energy" system. Under this new mechanic, students lost energy when they answered questions correctly, prematurely ending their study sessions unless they paid for a premium subscription. This aligns with what we previously reported regarding how aggressive gamification tactics can derail student progress, turning what should be a positive learning experience into a source of constant frustration for children.
The Bigger Picture
In April 2025, Duolingo's leadership announced a transition to an "AI-first" model, phasing out human translation contractors in favor of artificial intelligence, according to the InvestmentNews report. Legal filings compiled by Kaplan Fox allege that this shift resulted in rapidly generated, lower-quality AI curriculum that triggered widespread user backlash. This aggressive push for monetization occurred alongside a severe slowdown in Daily Active User (DAU) growth and the sudden departure of the company's Chief Financial Officer. According to a legal notice by Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, internal A/B testing showed that these changes, including heavier ad loads and aggressive subscription upsells, were driving users away, despite executive claims of sustainable growth. The financial fallout was swift, with the company's stock plummeting by 25% on November 6, 2025, and experiencing subsequent double-digit drops in early 2026, as documented by Kaplan Fox stock drop details. These overlapping crises suggest that the company's aggressive pivot to automated tools has fundamentally compromised both its financial standing and its product quality.
What This Means for Families
Parents and educators must evaluate if Duolingo remains an effective learning tool or if it has morphed into a high-pressure subscription trap. When an educational app penalizes correct answers to limit free session times, it undermines core teaching principles. Replacing human educators and linguists with automated AI translation can introduce subtle grammatical errors and cultural inaccuracies into lessons. This makes it harder for kids trying to build authentic speaking skills, a challenge we explored when looking at how mobile apps teach writing. For educators planning curriculum budgets, the app’s shift away from human-vetted content should prompt a reevaluation of its role in the language-learning classroom.
What You Can Do
- Monitor your child's sessions to see if they are being locked out of lessons due to the "Energy" system.
- Supplement Duolingo with human-led instruction or high-quality, verified textbooks.
- Explore alternative language-learning apps that do not rely on aggressive gamification or AI-only curriculum.