The viral women-only safety app, Tea, has confirmed a significant data breach, exposing approximately 72,000 user images, including sensitive verification selfies and government IDs. The incident has sent shockwaves through its rapidly growing user base, with many now facing a concerning “screen loading” issue on the app following the leak on the notorious 4chan bulletin board.
The Tea app, designed as a “safe place” for women to share and discuss experiences with men, soared to the top of Apple’s App Store charts, boasting millions of recent sign-ups. Its unique premise allowed women to anonymously review men, flagging them as “red flags” or “green flags” based on shared experiences, and offering features like background checks and reverse image searches to enhance dating safety. However, the very verification process intended to ensure a women-only community has now become the source of a major privacy nightmare.
The Disturbing Details of the Tea App Data Breach
The company confirmed on Friday that an unauthorized actor accessed a “legacy data system” containing information from over two years ago. This breach led to the exposure of:
- 13,000 verification photos: These highly sensitive images include selfies and pictures of government-issued identification cards, submitted by users to verify their gender during the sign-up process.
- 59,000 publicly viewable images: These are images from user posts, comments, and direct messages within the app.
The exposed data reportedly appeared on a 4chan thread on Thursday evening, where users called for a “hack and leak” campaign, fueled by anger over the app’s premise. A download link, allegedly containing stolen identification photos, was subsequently posted on 4chan and X (formerly Twitter). While the company is investigating the full scope and impact, they have stated there’s no evidence to suggest current or additional user data was affected.
Users Report “Screen Loading” Issues Amidst the Chaos
Following the news of the 4chan leak, a growing number of Tea app users have reported a persistent “screen not loading” issue. This technical glitch adds another layer of frustration and concern for users already reeling from the privacy breach. While the company has acknowledged the data leak, they are yet to officially address the widespread “screen loading” problem.
How the Tea App Aimed to Revolutionize Dating Safety
Launched in 2023 by San Francisco-based entrepreneur Sean Cook, a former executive at Salesforce and Shutterfly, the Tea app was born out of Cook’s own mother’s harrowing online dating experiences, including catfishing and encounters with individuals with criminal records. His vision was to create a platform where women could make informed decisions and avoid potential dangers in modern dating.
The app’s features included:
- Anonymous reviews of men, including photos, first names, approximate ages, and locations.
- “Red flag” and “green flag” ratings based on shared experiences.
- Tools like background checks, reverse image searches, and phone number lookups.
- A women-only forum for advice and support.
- A policy to block screenshots to protect user privacy (which, ironically, did not prevent the backend data breach).
- A commitment to donate 10% of profits to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The app’s surging popularity was driven by word-of-mouth and viral social media posts, with many women sharing stories of how Tea helped them identify serious red flags and avoid potentially harmful situations. However, the app also sparked a heated debate regarding men’s privacy, with critics arguing it could be a platform for misinformation and defamation.
The Broader Implications: Privacy vs. Safety
This incident highlights the inherent tension between online identity verification and user security. While platforms like Tea aim to create safer online environments through verification, the very act of collecting sensitive personal data like IDs and selfies introduces significant risks if not handled with the utmost security. The Tea app’s privacy policy explicitly stated, “Tea Dating Advice takes reasonable security measures to protect your Personal Information… Please be aware, however, that despite our efforts, no security measures are impenetrable.” This statement now rings with unfortunate prescience.
The Tea app has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts to secure its systems and is conducting a full investigation. As the fallout continues, this breach serves as a stark reminder for users to exercise extreme caution when sharing sensitive personal information online, even with platforms designed for their safety.