A Controversial Dating App Turns Catastrophic
A rapidly growing dating safety app designed for women, Tea Dating Advice, has fallen victim to a massive data breach. This comes shortly after its explosive rise to the top of download charts, following heated debates about gender safety, digital privacy, and dating culture.
What Is Tea Dating Advice?
Launched in 2023, Tea is a U.S.-based app marketed as a dating safety tool for women. Users, once verified, can anonymously post about men they’ve dated or are considering dating. Think of it as Yelp—but for relationships.
The app enables background checks, criminal record searches, and reverse image tools to uncover potential catfishing schemes. It was created by Sean Cook, inspired by his mother’s experience of being catfished by men with criminal histories.
Why Did It Go Viral?
Tea exploded in popularity after social media platforms were flooded with discussions about gender safety and dating. Within days, over two million women requested access to the app. It shot to number one on Apple’s free app chart and was also trending on the Google Play store.
However, not everyone welcomed the app. On online forums like 4chan, users began calling it invasive and even pushed for the platform to be hacked.
Details of the Security Breach
On Friday, Tea confirmed a data breach affecting a legacy storage system. Hackers accessed approximately 72,000 images, including 13,000 selfies and photo IDs used for user verification. Photos from posts, direct messages, and comments were also compromised.
The breach affects users who signed up before February 2024. Although Tea’s policy claimed selfies were deleted after verification, the images remained stored to meet legal obligations concerning cyberbullying investigations.
Where Did the Data Go?
According to 404 Media, the stolen data—including driver’s licenses—was shared on 4chan. Some users allegedly tried to map the leaked data to specific locations, although this claim remains unverified. The thread was later taken down, but the damage was already done.
Company’s Response and Current Status
Tea insists it’s working with third-party cybersecurity experts to assess and contain the damage. The company claims there is no evidence that additional user data was compromised.
In an official statement, Tea noted that user photo IDs were no longer a requirement as of late 2023. Only selfies were needed for verification moving forward.
The Bigger Picture: Safety vs. Privacy
Tea’s breach adds fuel to the ongoing debate about digital safety and gender dynamics. Many women believe platforms like Tea or “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook groups provide crucial protection. Others argue that these platforms risk violating men’s privacy or fueling online harassment.
Tea now finds itself in the middle of a societal tug-of-war—empowering women while safeguarding privacy in a highly polarized digital era.
What’s Next for Tea and Its Users?
The road ahead remains unclear. Tea must rebuild trust, tighten its security infrastructure, and face legal scrutiny. For users, the breach serves as a harsh reminder: no app is immune to hacks, even those meant to protect.
If Tea hopes to survive the fallout, transparency, accountability, and stronger data protections will be key.
