Controversial women’s safety app Tea targeted by massive hack

Past users of the viral women’s dating safety app Tea have become the latest victims of a massive cyberattack, exposing thousands of user images stored in a legacy database. The hack, initially reported by Reddit users, was confirmed by 404Media and Tea itself, affecting 72,000 images posted on the app in the last two years. Among the compromised data were 13,000 selfies or photo IDs like driver’s licenses used for account verification and 59,000 images of individuals posted on the app.

Discovery of the vulnerability occurred on 4Chan, where users shared photo IDs of women from the platform. Concerns were raised about the public exposure of personal information, prompting discussions on the app’s reporting mechanisms and user verification system. Despite Tea’s statement that no current user information was breached, controversy arose over the app’s focus on documenting negative experiences with men in a public forum without proper verification, leading to privacy violations accusations.

Critics questioned the app’s forum-like nature and potential for online harassment and doxxing, comparing it to other platforms that encourage gossip and inappropriate behaviors. The app’s rising popularity also sparked the creation of misogynistic “copycat” apps aimed at tracking women’s activities, raising further concerns within online communities.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns about cybersecurity, privacy, and online safety in the digital age.