This Women-only dating app has suffered massive data breach: 72,000 user images leaked, company responds

Tea

Tea, a viral women-only dating advice app in the United States, has confirmed a massive data breach that exposed around 72,000 user images. The app is designed to let women anonymously review men they are dating, offering a space for users to share warnings, advice, and background details about potential partners.

The company disclosed that approximately 72,000 images were accessed without permission. This includes:

• 13,000 images submitted by users for account verification, including selfies and photo IDs

• 59,000 images from posts, comments, and direct messages that were publicly viewable

Tea clarified that the breach only affected users who joined the platform before February 2024. Crucially, the company said that no email addresses or phone numbers were exposed.

Tea said in a statement that it has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and is working “around the clock” to secure its systems. At the time of disclosure, there was no evidence to suggest additional data was compromised.

The data exposure was initially reported by 404 Media, which found that users on the platform 4Chan were able to access a list of attachments from Tea’s database.

Tea, also known as Tea Dating Advice, is a platform for women to share their dating experiences, check for red flags, and verify the identity of men they meet on apps like Tinder and Bumble. The app uses features such as AI-based reverse image search, phone number lookups, and criminal background checks to enhance dating safety.

The app allows women to post reviews and photos related to their interactions, and it promises a “sisterhood” network of over 1.6 million users, with access to tools designed to help spot fake profiles or risky situations.