Women-only dating app Tea has confirmed a serious data breach that compromised sensitive user information, including over 72,000 images such as selfies and government-issued identification documents uploaded for profile verification.
The breach came to light after a post on the online message board 4chan drew attention to the leak, prompting the company to issue a public statement. Tea, founded by Sean Cook, acknowledged “unauthorized access to one of our systems,” attributing the incident to vulnerabilities in an older data storage setup.
Sensitive Documents Among Leaked Files
According to reports, the breach includes approximately 13,000 verification selfies, some accompanied by documents like driver’s licenses, and 59,000 user-uploaded profile photos that were visible within the app.
While profile photos are typically meant to be seen by others on the platform, the exposure of verification selfies and identity documents has sparked major privacy concerns among users and data protection advocates.
Digital Retaliation Raises Safety Concerns
Worryingly, the fallout from the leak appears to be growing beyond privacy violations. Reports on social media suggest that some internet users are now creating and sharing maps aimed at tracking women who allegedly doxxed men using the Tea app. These actions are believed to be in retaliation for the data exposure, amplifying fears of targeted harassment and digital stalking.
The app, originally promoted as a safe and inclusive space for women, is now facing widespread criticism from the public and cybersecurity experts alike.
Investigation Underway; Firebase Misconfiguration Suspected
Tea has launched an internal investigation and is also exploring reports that the breach may have stemmed from poor Firebase configuration, a common misstep that can expose user data if cloud settings are not properly secured.
The company said it is actively working to understand the extent of the breach and prevent future incidents.
