**Hackers Compromise Woman’s Dating Safety App, Exposing Sensitive User Data**
In a concerning incident for digital safety, a women-centric dating app, known as Tea Dating Advice, has reported a security breach that has put thousands of its users’ sensitive information at risk. This app provides a platform primarily designed to allow women to perform background checks on potential partners, identify warning signs of undesirable behavior, and safeguard themselves against online scams, often referred to as “catfishing”.
According to reports, the unauthorized access to the app led to the exposure of around 72,000 images submitted by women who use Tea Dating Advice. This breach includes private images that female users had submitted for verification, showcasing personal identification for authentication purposes. The app’s privacy policy had assured its users that such sensitive information would be “deleted immediately” after it was no longer needed.
Tea Dating Advice, which boasts a user base of approximately 1.6 million individuals, has stated that the breach mainly affected users who had registered before February 2024. In their response to this alarming situation, the company asserted they had acted quickly and were in collaboration with leading cybersecurity experts to address the breach. They have since issued a statement affirming their commitment to protecting their users and reassured the public that they are taking every necessary step to ensure the safety of their community.
Moreover, the app has faced mixed reactions since its inception. While some users have heralded the app for providing a space for women to check the marital status or criminal history of potential partners, others have criticized it as being unfairly biased against men. The unique features of Tea allow users to share not only negative “red flag” traits but also “green flag” qualities—traits that signify a positive dating experience.
While the company maintains that the stolen photos cannot be directly linked to the information shared within the app, a further shock came when they revealed that additional images—approximately 59,000—had also been accessed in the hack. These included posts, comments, and direct messages from over two years of user interactions in the app. This additional breach raised further concerns over the security measures in place to protect user data.
In a broader context, incidents like this underline growing worries over digital safety in the realm of online dating. Several individuals have raised concerns about the potential for abuse during these situations. In an example illustrating this concern, a legal case was initiated earlier this year by an individual named Nikko D’Ambrosio against Meta, the parent company of Facebook. He claimed that defamatory statements about him were made in a group chat named “Are We Dating the Same Guy.” However, this lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by a federal judge in Illinois.
Tea Dating Advice was founded in November 2022 by Sean Cook, a software engineer who was inspired to create a protective space for women after witnessing challenges his mother faced while navigating online dating platforms. In a statement he made to Medium earlier this year, Cook expressed astonishment at the ease with which scammers and criminals could exploit women on traditional dating apps and highlighted the inadequacy of existing measures to safeguard users on these platforms.
As the app continues to navigate the fallout from this breach, industry experts, and users alike are watching closely. In light of this event, many are compelled to reassess how much personal information they are willing to share online, reflecting broader concerns about privacy, data protection, and the implications of technology on interpersonal relationships in today’s digital landscape. With the dating marketplace evolving rapidly, it remains crucial for apps to prioritize user safety and maintain a transparent relationship with their community concerning how personal data is handled.
