Duolingo states it does not intentionally collect personal data from children under 13 without a parent's permission, and will delete such data if notified.
This analysis describes what Duolingo's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The policy asserts COPPA compliance for users under 13, which is significant given Duolingo's broad appeal to younger users; however, the adequacy of age verification mechanisms and parental consent processes is a material compliance question.
Interpretive note: The practical adequacy of Duolingo's age verification and parental consent mechanisms cannot be assessed from the policy text alone; 'knowingly' under COPPA is a legal standard with nuanced enforcement context.
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The policy states that personal data collected from children under 13 without parental consent will be deleted upon notification, and that parents can contact privacy@duolingo.com to report such collection and request deletion.
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YOU MUST BE AND HEREBY AFFIRM THAT YOU ARE AN ADULT OF THE LEGAL AGE OF MAJORITY IN YOUR COUNTRY OR STATE OF RESIDENCE. If you are under the legal age of majority, your parent or legal guardian must consent to this agreement.
Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 13 without parental consent, we wil...
Our online services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.
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"We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected information from your child without your consent, please contact us at privacy@duolingo.com. We will delete the information as soon as possible.— Excerpt from Duolingo's Duolingo Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly engages the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), enforced by the FTC, which requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 in the United States. GDPR Article 8 and national implementations require parental consent for children under 16 (or a lower age set by member state law) for information society services in EU jurisdictions. The UK Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code) imposes additional design and data minimization requirements for services likely to be accessed by children. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. Duolingo's platform is widely used by minors globally, including as an educational tool. The policy states it does not knowingly collect data from children under 13 without consent, but 'knowingly' is a legal threshold under COPPA that depends on the robustness of age-screening mechanisms. Inadequate age verification has been the basis for FTC enforcement actions against consumer platforms in recent years. JURISDICTION FLAGS: US operations require COPPA compliance for under-13 users. EU operations require compliance with GDPR Article 8 for users under 16 (or the applicable member state threshold). UK operations require compliance with the Children's Code. Schools or educational institutions using Duolingo may implicate FERPA obligations in the US, potentially engaging the Department of Education. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: If Duolingo is deployed in educational settings, school districts or institutional customers should assess whether a Data Processing Agreement compliant with FERPA and COPPA is in place. Third-party advertising partners receiving data should be evaluated for COPPA-compliant restrictions on use of data from verified child accounts. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should review the age-gating and parental consent flow for users who indicate they are under 13 during registration, and verify that advertising and analytics data flows are disabled for such accounts. The Children's Code Age Appropriate Design assessment should be conducted or reviewed if not already in place for UK operations.
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The policy asserts COPPA compliance for users under 13, which is significant given Duolingo's broad appeal to younger users; however, the adequacy of age verification mechanisms and parental consent processes is a material compliance question.
The policy states that personal data collected from children under 13 without parental consent will be deleted upon notification, and that parents can contact privacy@duolingo.com to report such collection and request deletion.
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