Duolingo Apologises for Labeling JK Rowling ‘Mean’ in Lesson

Duolingo issued an apology after a German lesson on its app included a sentence describing author JK Rowling as "mean," sparking criticism that the platform allowed gender ideology to influence its language teaching content. The lesson asked users whether they liked books featuring Harry Potter, with the correct response translating to "Yes, but in my opinion the author is mean." Journalist Gaby Koppel condemned the inclusion of this sentence as gratuitous and irrelevant to learning German, linking it to Rowling's outspoken gender-critical views. Duolingo, which has over 130 million active users, promised to remove the offending content following backlash. The controversy arises amid ongoing disputes involving Rowling’s criticism of transgender rights and related cultural debates over gender identity. Some users expressed dissatisfaction with Duolingo's apology, accusing the company of ideological bias and calling for a review of its content policies.