Tea Dating App Breach Fuels Privacy Debate

Tea, a viral women-focused dating app enabling anonymous reviews and background checks on men, confirmed a major data breach that exposed approximately 72,000 images, including 13,000 verification selfies and photo IDs, as well as 59,000 images from user content. The breach stemmed from a legacy database used before February 2024 and affected only users registered prior to that date. Hackers accessed and distributed the data on 4chan, raising fears about stalking, doxxing, and identity theft among users. Tea emphasized that no email addresses or phone numbers were leaked. The incident has intensified scrutiny over the app's privacy practices, especially given prior criticism regarding invasions of men's privacy and the risks of sharing sensitive information. Tea has engaged cybersecurity experts, implemented additional security measures, and the breach has fueled broader debate about digital safety, gender-based violence, and crowdsourced reputation platforms.