I don't think there's any way to verify these are legitimate streaks though, and haven't been paid for. The whole concept really fell apart after Duolingo started monetizing that aspect of the app.
Well, do what works for you. I know first hand that letting a massive streak end can jeopardize your interest in starting again, so a strike revival system actively helps people.
Looking at a global streak leaderboard doesn't help you improve your foreign language skills, so I'm not sure what "fell apart."
If you miss a day, then your streak has ended. That's just what the word "streak" means. By accepting money to look the other way, Duolingo is cheating those that actually have kept their streaks going legitimately.
It's a flawed concept to build a leaderboard on a pliable statistic. That's what I'm saying.
