Women-focused dating review platform Tea has confirmed a major data breach compromising 72,000 user images, including sensitive verification selfies. A company spokesperson told Reuters on Saturday that hackers accessed 13,000 ID verification photos and 59,000 images from posts and messages, though no emails or phone numbers were exposed. The breach only affected users who joined before February 2024, with Tea stating it has engaged cybersecurity experts to contain the incident.
The app, which markets itself as a safety-focused platform for women to anonymously review dates, requires users to submit selfies for verification—a process it claims deletes images after approval. Security researchers first flagged the breach on Friday via 404 Media, revealing vulnerabilities in the app’s protection of sensitive biometric data. Tea’s rapid growth, with over 2 million recent join requests per its Instagram, now faces scrutiny over its data practices.
As digital privacy concerns mount in niche dating platforms, this breach highlights risks of apps collecting verification photos. Tea emphasized it’s working “around the clock” to secure systems, but the exposure of ID selfies—potentially containing government-issued documents—could enable identity theft. The incident follows growing regulatory focus on dating app safety after multiple high-profile breaches in 2023.
Experts warn the leak could erode trust in platforms handling sensitive dating data, particularly those positioning themselves as safer alternatives. With Tea’s user base expanding rapidly, the breach underscores the challenge of scaling security measures alongside growth in the volatile online dating sector, where anonymity features often clash with accountability demands. The company has not yet disclosed whether it will notify affected users individually.