Tea, a women’s safety dating app, has faced a major security breach this week. The company disclosed an authorized breach that compromised thousands of user images.
Initial investigations by Tea revealed that the breach exposed around 72,000 images. These included 13,000 images of selfies and IDs used for account verification, and 59,000 publicly visible images from posts and messages within the app.
The compromised data was part of a “legacy data system” dating back more than two years. However, the company stated that there is currently no indication of any impact on current user data.
Reports surfaced on Friday on platforms like Reddit and 404 Media, alleging that Tea app users’ images had been shared on online forums like 4chan without permission.
Tea mandates users to verify their identities using selfies or IDs, leading to the exposure of driver’s licenses and facial images in the leaked data.
Tea’s core aim is to provide a platform for women to document negative experiences with men in the dating sphere, aiming to enhance overall safety. Despite reaching the top position on Apple’s US App Store, the app’s popularity has sparked concerns about potential breaches of men’s privacy.
The security incident has reignited discussions on the risks associated with online identity verification and age confirmation in the digital realm.
In a statement on its website, Tea assured users about its security protocols to safeguard personal information. However, the company acknowledged that no security system is entirely impervious.
Tea has initiated a thorough investigation to evaluate the extent and implications of the breach.