Online course platforms closely track their learners. And things have gotten worse over the past two years.

Update (April 2026): On April 9, shareholders of both companies voted overwhelmingly to approve the merger — 99.4%% at Coursera, 99.9%% at Udemy. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2026. I also dug into the 300-page merger prospectus and found that Coursera approached Udemy three times over two years before getting a yes, and that Pluralsight’s owner made a competing cash offer. Read the full merger history. TL;DR Coursera is acquiring Udemy in an all-stock deal worth ~$1.8 b

Find the Perfect Course and Become a Data Pro with Our Comprehensive Guide to the Best Online Data Science Courses.

Harvard’s intro to computer science was just updated! Here’s what’s new and how to earn a free certificate.