Messaging has been suspended on the women’s dating safety platform Tea following a major cybersecurity breach that exposed a vast amount of user data, including images, posts, and comments.
In a fresh statement addressing the situation, the company confirmed: “As part of our ongoing investigation into the cybersecurity incident involving the Tea App, we have recently learned that some direct messages (DMs) were accessed as part of the initial incident.”
Tea, a US-based app designed exclusively for women and known for offering background checks on potential male partners, initially disclosed the hack in late July.
The platform currently has around 1.6 million users, all of whom have been told to stay tuned for more updates as the investigation continues.
“Our team remains fully engaged in strengthening the Tea App’s security, and we look forward to sharing more about those enhancements soon,” the company added. “In the meantime, we are working to identify any users whose personal information was involved and will be offering free identity protection services to those individuals.”
According to a report from tech outlet 404 Media, some of the exposed content includes highly sensitive conversations relating to topics such as abortions and infidelity.
Cybersecurity expert Rachael Percival told the BBC, “Conversations could include names, details of past relationships, or other private material, opening the door to blackmail or emotional harm.”
She strongly advised users to take advantage of any support the company offers.
“It may include credit monitoring, fraud alerts, and identity theft insurance,” she said.
Tea has also confirmed that images were among the compromised data. Kevin Marriott, a senior manager at cybersecurity firm Immersive, highlighted the severity, “Tea’s update will be concerning for users who have shared personal details, addresses, and meet-up locations.”
He further explained, “The fact that criminals potentially have both images and the associated account’s direct messages should raise the level of concern among users.”
Mr. Marriott advised Tea users to remain alert while awaiting further developments regarding the stolen content.
Tea is widely used to check if potential partners are married, listed as sex offenders, or using fake profiles through reverse image search.
One of its more debated features lets women post reviews of men they’ve dated, flagging both toxic behaviors and commendable traits.
Previously, the company disclosed that hackers accessed over 72,000 user-submitted images.
Alarmingly, some included photos of women holding IDs, even though Tea’s privacy policy assures users that such verification images are “deleted immediately” after use.
The breach reportedly affects members who joined before February 2024.
Tea has grown rapidly in popularity recently, drawing both praise and criticism, particularly from those who argue its model is biased against men.
