Duolingo is the most popular app for learning new languages. The app has millions of users all over the world and allows users to learn phrases for up to 31 languages.
However, the company was recently the target of an online Twitter campaign, encouraging the app to censor its phrases, as some Twitter users were offended by some of the phrases that Duolingo were asking users to translate during a Spanish lesson
“My partner sent me these screenshots from their Spanish lesson today,” wrote an offended Twitter user, tagging Duolingo in the public message. “Hey @duolingo can you please explain wtf this is about?”
My partner sent me these screenshots from their Spanish lesson today. Hey @duolingo can you please explain wtf this is about? pic.twitter.com/WTlKJ1VgDO
— Aly Hassell #rentfreeze (@AlyHassell) September 23, 2019
The tweeter added in screenshots of two phrases featured on the app's daily Spanish lesson.
The first phrase was, “son ellos legalles” (are they legal?) and the second phrase said, “El tiene que ser detenido ahora.” (He has to be detained right now.)
Other users chimed in, assuming that the phrases were about illegal immigrants and others were suggesting that the phrases were racist, demanding from an explanation from Duolingo.
I guess ICE agents want to learn Spanish too. Ugh.
— my noble Nobel (@nc_clair) September 24, 2019
Other Twitter users piled on and, soon enough, Duolingo responded.
The Duolingo CEO, himself an immigrant from Guatemala, replied to the offended user and explained that the two phrases were not presented together in the app and that putting them together like that was taking them out of context.
Hi, I'm the founder of @duolingo. These two sentences didn't appear next to each other, so taken out of context I can see why they may send the wrong message. We've removed them to avoid confusion. I myself am an immigrant from Guatemala, so this wasn't the intended meaning!
— Luis von Ahn (@LuisvonAhn) September 24, 2019
Still, the CEO announced that they would censor the app and remove those phrases anyway to avoid any confusion.
However, many more users suggested that the phrases shouldn't have been present in the first place.
But under what context would they even be considered “useful” here? “Are they legal”??? Really?
— sleep deprived isolating sabzi (@poetryandchai) September 24, 2019
But what context would ever make those sentences necessary?
I appreciate your action and background, but those sentences should never have been in the app. They are hurtful to humanity.
— squidward scisscorhands (@raeeehh) September 24, 2019
