In a worrying incident for user privacy, Tea Dating Advice, a women-focused dating safety app catering to 1.6 million users in the United States, has confirmed that it was recently hacked, revealing thousands of images and discussions contributed by its members. Reports indicate that unauthorized access occurred, exposing around 72,000 images submitted by women, some of which featured individuals holding their photo ID for verification—images that the app's own privacy policy guarantees should be deleted upon successful authentication.
The breach reportedly affects users who joined before February 2024, prompting Tea to assure users that it is swiftly addressing the issue with "trusted cyber security experts." This security failure comes amidst a surge in the app's usage spurred by its unique features, which allow women to conduct background checks on potential partners and collectively share "red flag" behaviors while also identifying "green flag" traits.
Although Tea claims that the breached images cannot be linked to users’ posts within the application—thanks to measures like screenshot blocking—an additional 59,000 images containing previous posts and comments were also accessed, casting a shadow over user data security. The company maintains its commitment to protecting its community, stating, “We're taking every step to protect this community - now and always.”
Launched in November 2022 by Sean Cook, a software engineer motivated by his own experiences and concerns about online dating safety, Tea was designed to counteract the prevalence of catfishing and scams on traditional dating platforms. However, the app's controversial approach has sparked criticism and concerns, especially from some men who feel it infringes on their privacy and could lead to defamation.
This incident echoes broader themes in the ongoing discourse about digital privacy, especially within dating arenas, and comes at a time when an individual recently sued Meta over statements made in a dating discussion group, though the case was dismissed in court.
As the conversation around privacy and safety in dating apps continues to evolve, the Tea breach underscores the crucial need for robust cybersecurity measures in platforms designed to protect vulnerable populations.
