Massive Data Breach at US Dating App "Tea"
U.S.-based dating app Tea has confirmed a significant data breach that resulted in the unauthorized exposure of more than 72,000 private images, including 13,000 selfies accompanied by government-issued IDs.
The app, which has gained recent notoriety for allowing women to anonymously review men they've dated or matched with on dating platforms, disclosed the breach late Saturday. The compromised images reportedly include user-submitted content from Tea's account verification process.
According to NBC News, the leaked materials were published Friday on controversial online forum 4Chan, widely known for hosting misinformation campaigns and extremist content. Screenshots circulating on Reddit and other social platforms showed ID cards paired with selfies, an alarming breach of user trust and safety.
"This breach is deeply concerning," said a spokesperson for Tea. "Roughly 72,000 images were accessed without authorization, including approximately 13,000 selfie-ID pairings submitted as part of our verification process." The company noted that the exposed database was over two years old and had originally been retained to comply with cyberbullying and law enforcement regulations.
The leaked content has sparked intense debate over digital privacy, particularly for women using dating apps. Critics argue that Tea's system, which encourages anonymous reviews of male users, poses inherent risks, especially when combined with identifiable personal data.
The New York Times highlighted that while supporters believe Tea empowers women to avoid deceptive or dangerous partners, critics warn of potential defamation and privacy violations, especially when names and images are involved.
Tea founder Shawn Cook responded on the company's website, stating that the app was inspired by his mother's traumatic experiences with online dating, including catfishing and unknowingly dating men with criminal backgrounds.
'Tea was created to protect women by giving them tools to verify men's identities, criminal records, and even run reverse image searches,' Cook said. 'This breach is a painful setback to that mission.'
The app claims it donates 10% of its profits to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and has positioned itself as a safer alternative to mainstream dating platforms.
In response to the breach, Tea has brought in external cybersecurity experts and says it is 'working around the clock to secure our systems and prevent future intrusions.'
The breach adds to a troubling pattern of large-scale cyberattacks targeting sensitive personal data. Just last week, a major U.S. insurance firm admitted it had suffered a breach affecting the majority of its customers.
Tea users have been advised to monitor their personal information and report any suspected identity theft or misuse of their images.
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