Two controversial dating apps promising to expose dishonest partners have suffered serious security breaches, leaking thousands of personal documents online.
Tea, which went viral in July and topped Apple’s US App Store, allows women to review men anonymously and promises “the safest place to spill tea”. TeaOnHer, a near-identical rival aimed at men, offers “verified reports” about women, claiming to help them “date safe”.
Both apps require government photo ID for verification. But security flaws left IDs, selfies, and sometimes private messages publicly accessible, according to investigations by 404 Media and TechCrunch. In TeaOnHer’s case, hackers reportedly accessed driver’s licences in under ten minutes, without passwords.
Tea’s operators quickly patched their breach and claimed only users who joined before February 2024 were affected. However, a second leak later forced the app to disable direct messages. TeaOnHer remained silent for a week before apparently fixing the flaw, but has not informed users.
Privacy experts condemned the failures. “Fast-made apps without strong security expose sensitive data,” said Eva Galperin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The breaches have intensified debate over “naming and shaming” ex-partners online. Supporters say the apps can reveal dangerous histories, citing cases of users uncovering criminal records or infidelity. Critics warn that they also enable false claims, harassment, and misogyny.
Apple requires app makers to disclose collected data, but TeaOnHer’s store page claims it gathers none. Apple has yet to comment on whether rules were breached.
The incidents highlight not only modern dating’s risks but also the dangers of trusting sensitive data to poorly secured platforms.
