A popular dating safety app, Tea Dating Advice, designed exclusively for women, has suffered a significant data breach that has compromised the personal information of its users. This US-based app, which boasts over 1.6 million users, allows women to conduct background checks on potential partners and share experiences regarding red flag behaviors anonymously.
Reports indicate that unauthorized access has exposed around 72,000 images submitted by women on the platform. Alarmingly, some of these images included personal verification photos of women holding their identification, which the app's privacy policy states should be deleted immediately after the verification process. The breach specifically affected members who registered before February 2024.
In response to the incident, Tea Dating Advice has assured its users that it is taking the matter seriously. The company is collaborating with leading cybersecurity experts to investigate and mitigate the impact of the breach. They emphasized their commitment to community safety by stating, "We're taking every step to protect this community - now and always."
Tea Dating Advice has gained significant traction in recent months, praised for its unique features that prioritize women's safety. The app enables users to check if potential partners are married or registered sex offenders, and it also allows for reverse image searches to combat catfishing—an issue where individuals create fake online identities to deceive others.
However, the app has faced criticism from some quarters, with detractors arguing that it fosters an anti-men environment. A particularly contentious feature allows women to share information about men they have dated to identify red flags while also highlighting those with green flag qualities. While the company has stated that the breached photos cannot be linked to posts within the app, the revelation that an additional 59,000 images were accessed—showing posts, comments, and direct messages from over two years ago—has raised further concerns.
As the app continues to grow in popularity, it has also faced legal challenges. Earlier this year, a man named Nikko D'Ambrosio filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, over statements made about him in a chat group called "Are We Dating the Same Guy." The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by a federal judge in Illinois, but it underscores the ongoing debate about privacy and defamation in the digital dating landscape.
Founded in November 2022 by Sean Cook, a software engineer motivated by his mother's online dating experiences, Tea Dating Advice aims to empower women and enhance safety in the dating world. Cook expressed his shock at how easily scammers and criminals could exploit women on dating platforms and criticized traditional dating apps for their inadequate protective measures.
As investigations into the breach continue, users are urged to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions when using dating apps. The incident highlights the critical need for robust security measures in the digital dating space, ensuring user privacy and safety are prioritized.
